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State af ^Ii0tle Islarxd. 



LAWS PERTAININfi TO EDDCITION 



COMPILED F,Y 

THOMAS B. STOCKWELIv, 

COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 



PEOVIDENCE, E. I. 

E. L. FREEMAN & SONS, PRINTERS TO THE STATE. 
1900. 



a^^^ 
m. 



transfer 
IS 1909 



EXTRACTS 



FROM THE 



OTonstitutiou of lllxorlc MaucL 



ARTICLE I. 
Declaration of Rights. 
Section 

2. Object of government.— How laws 

should be made and burdens dis- 
tributed. 

3. Religious freedom secured. 

ARTICLE IX. 
Qualifications for Office. 
Section 
1. Qualified electors only eligible. 



ARTICLE XII. 
Education. 
Section 
1. Duty of general assembly to pro- 
mote public schools, etc. 
8. The permanent public school fund. 

3. Donations for support of public 

schools. 

4. Powers of general assembly under 

this article. 



PREAMBLE. 

WE, the people of the State of Rhode Island and Provi- preamble. 
dence Plantations, grateful to Almighty God for the civil and 
religious liberty which He hath so long- permitted us to 
enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing upon our endeavors 
to secure and to transmit the same unimpaired to succeeding 
generations, do ordain and establish this constitution of 
government. 

ARTICLE I. 



Declaration of Certain Constitutional liights and Principles. 

In order effectually to secure the religious and political Declaration, 
freedom established by our venerated ancestors, and to pre- 



LA^YS PEETAINING TO EDUCATION. 



Eight of the 
people to 
make and 
alter their 
constitution. 



Objects of free 
governments. 
How laws 
should be 
made. 



Religious 

freedom 

secured. 



serve the same for our posterity, ^ve do declare that the 
essential and unquestionable rights and principles hereinafter 
mentioned shall be established, maintained and preserved, 
and shall be of paramount oblig-ation in all legislative, judicial 
and executive proceedings. 

Section 2. All free governments are instituted for the 
protection, safety and happiness of the people. All laws, 
therefore, should be made for the good of the whole ; and 
the burdeus of the state ought to be fairly distributed 
among its citizens. 

Sec. 3. Whereas Almightj^ God hath created the mind 
free ; and all attempts to influence it by temporal punishments 
or burdens, or by civil incapacitations, tend to beget habits 
of hypocrisy and meanness; and whereas a principal object 
of our venerable ancestors, in their migration to this country 
and their settlement of this state, was, as they expressed it, 
to hold forth a lively experiment, that a flourishing civil 
state may stand and be best maintained with full liberty in 
religious concernments : we, therefore, declare that no man 
shall be compelled to frequent or to support any religious 
worship, place, or ministry whatever, except in fulfillment of 
his own voluntary contract ; nor enforced, restrained, mo- 
lested, or burdened in his body or goods; nor disqualified 
from holding anj^ ofiice ; nor otherwise suffer on account of 
his religious belief; and that every man shall be free to 
worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience, 
and to profess and by argument to maintain his opinion in 
matters of religion ; and that the same shall in no wise di- 
minish, enlarge, or aftect his civil capacity. 

ARTICLE IX. 

0/ QuaMjications for Office. 
Section 1. No person shall be eligible to any civil office, 



EXTRACTS FROM THE CONSTITUTION OF RHODE ISLAND. 

(except tlie office of school committee), unless lie be a quali- ^iectOTs*^oiiiy 
fiecl elector for such office. 



elisible. 



AETICLE XII. 

Of Editcation. 
Section 1. The cliftiision of knowledsfe, as well as of virtue, Duty of the 

'^ ^ general as- 

among the people, being essential to the preservation of their mote^pubUc° 
rights and liberties, it shall be the duty of the general as- education, 
sembly to promote public schools, and to adopt all means 
which they may deem necessary and proper to secure to the 
people the advantages and opportunities of education. 

Sec. 2. The money which now is or which may hereafter The permanent 

public school 

be appropriated hy law for the establishment of a permanent ^'^°'*- 
fund for the support of public schools, shall be securely in- 
vested, and remain a perpetual fund for that purpose. 

Sec. 3. All donations for the support of public schools. Donations for 

support of 

or for other purposes of education, which may be received public schools. 
by the general assembly, shall be applied according to the 
terms prescribed by the donors. 

Sec. 4. The general assembly shall make all necessary Power of the 

general 

provisions by law for carrying this article into effect. They assembly under 

i- -J -J '^ J this article. 

shall not divert said money or fund from the aforesaid uses, 
nor borrow, appropriate, or use the same, or any part thereof, 
for any other purpose, under any pretence whatsoever. 



EXTRACTS FROM THE GENERAL LAWS 



State of glltocic island 



PERTAINING TO 



E ID TJ G j^T I O INT. 



CHAPTER 6. 



Classification 
of voters as 
registered and 
unregistered. 



Registered 
voters, includ- 
ing personal 
property 
voters. 



Of the Rights and Qualifications of Voters. 

Section j Section 

1. Classification of voters as regis- I 3. Right to vote on real estate, sit- 

tered and unregistere.d, and their uated in town other than that in 

rights to vote. i which voter resides. 

Section 1. The two following classes of |>ersoDS have, by 
the constitution, the first as registered and the second as un- 
registered voters, a right to vote in the election of all civil 
officers, and on all q^lestions in all legally organized town, 
ward or district meetings : — 

First, Every male citizen of the United States, of the age 
of twenty-one years, who has had his residence and home in 
this state for two years, and in the town or city, in which he 
may offer to vote, six months next preceding the time of his 
voting, and whose name shall be registered, in the town or 



Chap. 6.] RIGHTS AND QUALIFICATIONS OF VOTERS. [ 

city where he resides, on or before the last clay of December 
in the year next preceding the time of his voting" : Prnvided, 
that no person shall at any time be allowed to vote in the 
election of the city council of any city, or upon any proposi- 
tion to impose a tax or for the expenditure of money in any 
town or city, unless he shall within the year next preceding 
have paid a tax assessed upon his property therein, valued at 
least at one hundred and thirty -four dollars. 

Second, Every male citizen of the United States, of the age unregistered, 
of twenty-one years, who has had his residence and home in voters. 
this state for one year, and in the town or city, in which he 
may claim a right to vote, six months next preceding the 
time of voting, and who is really and truly possessed in his ' 

own right of real estate in such town or city of the value of 
one hundred and thirty-four dollars over and above all in- 
cumbrances, or which shall rent for seven dollars per annum 
over and above any rent reserved or the interest of any in- 
cumbrances thereon, being an estate in fee-simple, fee-tail, 
for the life of any person, or an estate in reversion or re- 
mainder, which qualifies no other person to vote, the convey- 
ance of which estate, if by deed, shall have been recorded at 
least ninety days. 

Sec. 2. The following class of persons have, by the con- persons en- 

, . , , . . , , • 1 , , , . 1 1 . titled to vote 

stitution, as unregistered voters, a right to vote m the election in a town tor 

g-eneral 

of all general officers and members of the general assembly, "Sicers, etc., 



in the town or city in which they shall have had their resi- ancnher 
dence and home for the term of six months next preceding 
the election : — 

Every male citizen of the United States, of the age of 
twenty-one years, %vho has had his residence and home in 
this state for one year, and shall own any such real estate 
within this state, but out of the town or city in which he re- 
sides, as is described in the second clause of the first section 
of this chapter, and Avho shall produce a certificate from the 



town. 



LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. 



[Chap. 



clerk of the town or city in which his estate lies, bearing date 
within ten days of the time of his voting, setting forth that 
such person has a sufficient estate therein to qualify him as 
a voter, and that the deed, if any, has been recorded ninety 
days. 



CHAPTER 7. 



Of the Regiderlng, Listing and Returning Lists of Voters, 
and of Proof of their Qualification to Vote. 



Section 



Section 



Registry voters to register them- 
selves annually. 

Names of property taxpayers to be 
put on voting list : and annual 
registry not required. 

Proof of payment of taxes. 

Town clerks, etc., to furnish certi- 
fied copies of lists of voters on 
demand, etc. 



Town clerks to give certified copies 
of registration of voters and other 
records. 

Electors entitled to certified lists 
of persons paying taxes, etc., and 
penalty for refusal to furnish 
same. 



Registry 
voters are to 
register them- 
selves 
annually. 



Penalty for 

false 

certificate. 



Persons of a 
foreign birth to 
file proof of 
citizenship. 



Section 2. Every person who is or within a year may be 
qualified to vote, upon being registered, shall go to the town 
clerk of the town in which he resides, and shall annually, on 
or before the last day of December, register his name, and 
thereby certify to the truth of the facts stated in the appro- 
priate heads of such registry. Every person who shall 
knowingly make any false certificate in registering his name 
in any such registry book shall be fined not exceeding fifty 
dollars, or be imprisoned not exceeding sixty days : Provided, 
that before any person's name shall be placed upon the voting 
list, if such citizen shall be of foreign birth, he shall file 
proof, at least five days before any meeting of the board of 
canvassers, with the town clerk, that he is a citizen of the 
United States, and such proof shall be subject to the ap- 
proval of the board of canvassers of the town or ward wherein 
such person shall claim the right to vote. 



Chap. 7.] REGISTEEING AND CANVASSING OF VOTERS. 9 

. Sec. 3. The several town and ward clerks shall annually ^ames of 

J property tax- 

place upon the voting list the names of the several persons putlJ^voting ' 
who have previously been upon the voting- list, according- to annuafregistry 

. ^ not required. 

the provisions oi this chapter, ag-amst whom a property tax 
to the amount of one dollar or upwards shall have been 
assessed ; and such persons need not register their names 
annually as is required of persons not paying a property tax. 

Sec. 8. The proof of the payment of taxes upon real Proof of the 

payment of 

estate or personal property shall be the certificate of the col- '^*^^^- 
lector of taxes or town treasurer ; and the receipt or returns 
of the collector of taxes shall be sufficient evidence for the 
purpose of procuring the certificate of the town treasurer. 
In case of a school-district or highway tax, when by law the 
same may be paid, whether in money or labor, to a surveyor 
of highways or to a district collector, the receipt of such 
surveyor or district collector shall be sufficient evidence of 
such payment for the purpose of procuring the certificate of 
the collector of taxes or of the town treasurer. 

Sec. 12. Every town, ward or district clerk, upon pay- Town clerks, 

, ' J:' 1 J et(; jQ furnish 

nient or tender of his legal fees, which shall be the same for of^'vo'ters^'on 
the ward and district clerks as for the town clerks, shall fur- u^iSer ofTee. 
nish to any one demanding- the same a certified copy of any 
list of voters whose votes have been given in at any election. 

Sec. 13. Every town clerk shall, upon like payment or aiso a certified 

.iP-i, T T1 .n copy of regis- 

tender, lurnish to auy person demanding the same a certified tration of vo- 
ters and other 
copy of any registration of voters, and shall also, upon re- records. 

quest of any person and tender of legal fees, and without 
any unreasonable delay, examine the records and certify to 
the estate of any person, and shall furnish copies of any in- 
strument or writing which may be on record or in the files of 
his office. 

Sec. 14. Every officer authorized to receive taxes shall, futitied%o'^^ 
upon like request and payment or tender, and without un- of persons ply- 



10 



LA\YS PEETAIXIXG TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 25. 



ing taxes, up- 
on request 
and tender of 
fee therefor. 



Penalty. 



reasonable clelaj", furnish to any elector a certified list of 
those Mho have paid to him state and town taxes, and the 
amounts and times of such jDayments ; and shall grant certifi- 
cates setting forth whether a certain person has or has not 
paid to him snch taxes, and, if paid, to what amount and at 
what time ; and everj'' such oflicer who shall refuse or un- 
reasonably delay to furnish such lists or certificates, upon 
payment or tender as aforesaid, shall for every such ofi^ence 
be fined not less than twenty -five dollars nor more than two 
hundred dollars. 



CHAPTER 25. 



Of Oaths, and by ichoni Achninistered. 



Section 
5. Form of engagement. 

9. Who may administer oaths through- 

out the state. 

10. Who may administer oaths within 



Sectiok 

their respective counties and 
towns. 
11. Who may administer oaths in con- 
nection with their offices. 



Certain offi- Sectiox 5. Every person, except the justices of the supreme 

cers, form of j i 5 i j i 

engagement of. court, elected to office by the general assembly'-, or by either 
house thereof, or by any town or town council, or under the 
provisions of the law in relation to public schools, or ap- 
pointed to office, civil or military, by the governor, shall, 
before he shall act therein, take the following eng-agement 
before some person authorized to administer oaths, namely : 
I, {^naming the 2^&'fson'\, do solemnly swear {or, afiirm) that I 
will faithfully and impartially discharge the duties of the 
oflice of \jiaming the office'] according to the best of my abili- 
ties, and that I will support the constitution and laws of this 
state, and the constitution of the United States, so help me 
God: \_0r : This afiirmation I make and give ujDon the peril 
of the penalty of perjury]. 

Sec. 9. The following persons may administer oaths any- 



Chap. 25.] OATHS, and by whom administeeed. 11 

where within the state : The o-overnor, lieuteiiant-o"overnor, oaths. who 

*" ' may ad- 

secretary of state, attorney-general, assistant attorney-g-en- "^rou^cfhout 
eral, general treasurer, justices of the supreme court, speaker '^•^^'^ st^^*^®- 
of the house of rejoresentatives, commissioners appointed by 
other states to take acknowledgments of deeds and deposi- 
tions within this state, notaries public, the railroad commis- 
sioner, the insurance commissioner, and the commissioners of 
shell fisheries. 

Sec. 10. The following persons may administer oaths who, within 

° their refspec- 

within the respective counties and towns for which they may ^^^^ tTwas*^^ 
be elected to office : Clerks of courts, state senators, justices 
and assistant justices of the district courts, justices of the 
peace, mayors of cities, judges of probate, presidents of town 
councils, or persons acting as such, town clerks and town 
w^ardens. 

Sec. 11. The following persons may administer oaths in who, in mat- 
ters connected 
relation to all matters connected with, or in administering with their 

' ^ oaices. 

the duties of, their respective offices : The school commis- 
sioner, foreman of grand juries, members of committees of 
either house of the general assembly or of joint committees 
thereof, chairmen of committees of either board of a city 
council or of joint committees thereof, members of town 
councils, auditors, referees, masters in chancery, clerks of 
school districts, commissioners on insolvent estates, members 
of the board of state charities and corrections, coroners, 
deputy-coroners, assessors of taxes, the presiding officer of 
the state board of pharmacy, general and field officers, judge 
advocate-general and brigade judge-advocate. 



12 



LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. 



[Cliap. 26. 



CHAPTER 26. 



Of the Construction of Statutes. 



Section 

1. Rules of construction, when to be 

applied. 

2. Genders. 

3. Numbers. 

4. Joint authority of three or more 

authorizes a majority. 

5. "Person." 

6. "'Insane person." 

7. "■United States." 

8. "Town," "town council," "town 

clerk," "ward clerk," "town 
treasurer," "town sergeant." 

9. "Land" or "lands," "real estate." 



Section 

10. "Oath," "sworn," "engaged." 

11. "Month," "year." 

12. Computation of time. 

13. "Justice of the peace," "district 

court." 

14. "Seal." 

1.^. Acts of incorporation are public 

acts for purposes of pleading. 
16. Repeal, effect of, in civil cases. 

18. Repeal not to revive statutes re- 

pealed. 

19. Statutes, when to take effect. 



Rules of con- 
struction. when 
to be applied. 



Genders. 



Section 1. In the construction of statutes the provisions 
of this chapter shall be observed, unless the observance of 
them would lead to a construction inconsistent with the 
manifest intent of the general assembly, or be repugnant to 
some other part of the same statute. 

Sec. 2. Every word importing the masculine gender only, 
may be constructed to extend to and to include females as 
well as males. 



Numbers. Sec. 3. Ever}^ word importing the singular number only^ 

may be construed to extend to and to include the plural 
number also ; and every word importing the plural number 
only, may be constructed to extend to and to embrace the 
singular number also. 



Joint authority Sec. 4. All woi'ds purporting to give a joint authority to 

TO any three or 

more'is au- three or more officers or persons shall be so construed as to 

thority to the •■■ 

majority. g\\e. such authorit}^ to a majority of them. 



' Person." 



Sec. 5. The word "person" may be construed to extend 
to and include copartnerships and bodies corporate and 
politic. 



Chap. 26.] CONSTEUCTION OF STATUTES. 13 

Sec. 6. The words "insane person" shall be construed to "insane 

^ person." 

include every idiot, person of unsound mind, lunatic and dis- 
tracted person. 

Sec. 7. The words " United States" shall be construed to "United 

• • 1 TT • States." 

include the several states and the territories of the United 
States. 

Sec. 8. The word "town" may be construed to include "Town." 
city, or the District of Narrag-ansett : the words "town "Town 

■^ ' o J council." 

council," board of aldermen or the district council of the 

District of Narrag-ansett ; the words " town clerk," city clerk " Town clerk " 

or the clerk of the District of Narrag-ansett ; the words " ward "Ward clerk." 

clerk," clerk of election district ; the words " town treasurer," "Town 

treasurer." 

city treasurer or the treasurer of the District of Narragan- 

sett; and the words "town sergeant," city sergeant or the "Town 

' o 7 of o sergeant." 

-district sergeant of the District of Narragansett. 

Sec. 9. The word " land " or " lands," and the words "real ;;Lanci." or 

' lands." 

estate," may be construed to include lands, tenements and " Real estate.'' 
hereditaments, and rights thereto and interests therein. 

Sec. 10. The word "oath" shall be construed to include "Oath," 

" sworn," 

affirmation; the word '"sworn," affirmed; and the word "en- "engaged." 
gaged," either sworn or affirmed. 

Sec. 11. The words "month" and "year" shall be con- "Month." 
strued to mean a calendar month and year. 

Sec. 12. Whenever time is to be reckoned from any day, computation 

•^ -^ ' of time. 

date, or act done, or the time of any act done, such day, date, 
or the day when such act is done, shall not be included in 
such computation. 

Sec. 13. The words "justice of the peace" may be con- "Justiceof the 

PC3.C6. 

strued to include warden of the peace, and the words " dis- ^ourt "'^'^ 
trict court " to include warden's court. 



14 



LAAYS PEETAIXCSG TO EDUCATION. 



[Cliap. 30. 



■'• Seal. 



Acts of incor- 
poration are 
public acts for 
purposes of 
pleading. 



Eepeal, effect 
of, in civU 
cases. 



Eepeal not to 
revive statutes 
repealed. 



Statutes, when 
to take effect. 



Sec. Idt. Wlienever a seal is required to be affixed to any 
paper, the word " seal " shall be construed to include an im- 
pression of such seal made -nith or without the use of wax or 
wafer on the joaper. 

Sec. 15. Every act of incorporation shall be so far deemed 
a public act, that the same ma}' be declared on and given in 
evidence, without specially pleading the same. 

Sec. 16. The repeal of any statute shall in no case affect 
any act done, or any light accrued, acquired or established, 
or anj' suit or proceeding had or commenced in any civil 
case before the time when such repeal shall take effect. 

Sec. 18. The repeal of any statute shall not be construed 
to revive any other statute which has been repealed. 

Sec. 19. Every statute which does not expressly prescribe 
the time when it shall go into operation, shall take effect on 
the tenth day next after the rising of the general assembly 
at the session thereof at which the same shall be passed. 



CHAPTER. 30. 



Of the Permanent School Fund. 



Sectiox 

1. Custody and investment. 

2. iloney from auctioneers to be added 

to the fund. 

3. School money forfeited by towns, to 

be added to the fund. 



j Section 

' 4. Additions, how they are to be in- 
vested. 

{. 5. Income to be appropriated for sup- 
port of public schools. 



Custody and 
investment of 
the school 
fund. 



Section 1. The general treasurer, with the advice of the 
governor, shall have full power to regulate the custody and 
safe keeping of the fund now constituting the permanent 
fund for the support of pubhc schools, and shall keep the 
same securely invested in the capital stock of some safe and 



Chap. 31.] 



PUBLIC EECORDS. 



15 



responsible bank or banks or in bonds of towns or cities 
within this state. 



Sec, 2. The money that shall be paid into the state Money paid to 

the state by 

treasury by auctioneers, for duties accruing to the use of the §" added*to the 
state, is aproppriated, and the same shall annually be added ^^^^' 
to said school fund, for the permanent increase thereof. 



Sec. 3. Whenever any money appropriated to any town school money 

forfeited by 

from the state treasury, for the support of public schools * ^^^'^i^^^Vi? ^® 
therein, shall have been forfeited by such town, the same ^^^'^' 
shall be added to said school fund, and shall forever remain 
a part thereof. 



Sec. 4. The general treasurer, with the advice of the gov- 
ernor, shall from time to time securely invest all sums of 
money hereby directed to be added to said fund, in the 
capital stock of some safe and responsible bank or banks or 
in bonds of any town or city within this state. 



Additions, how 
to be invested. 



Sec. 5. The income arising from said fund so invested income to be 

^ appropriated 

shall annually be appropriated for the support of public schooi^^^'^* ^^ 
schools in the several towns. 



CHAPTER 31, 



Of the Pullic Records. 



Section 
1. Officers to deliver official records, 
etc., to their successors in office, 
or to secretary of state, when. 
Penalty for neglect. 



Section 1, 



Section 
2. Penalty for neglect by other than 
the lawful custodian, to deliver 
official records, etc. 



Every person who shall hold a public office officers to de- 
shall, upon leaving the same, deliver to his successor in office, records, etc., 

to their suc- 

or, it there be no successor, to the secretary of state, all o^sors in 

•^ ' office, or to 

records, books, writings, letters and documents, kept or re- state,^when^. 



16 



LAWS PERTAINIiSTG TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 36. 



Penalty for 
neglect, etc.. 
without cause. 



ceiyed by him in the transaction of his official business, and 
all moneys in his hands which he shall have received as trust 
funds from any person or otherwise in the course of his offi- 
cial business ; and every such person who shall, without just 
cause, refuse or neglect for the space of ten days after re- 
quest made in writing- bj^ any citizen of the state, to deliver 
as herein required such records, books, writings, letters or 
documents, or to pay over such monej^s, to the person au- 
thorized to receive the same, shall be fined not exceeding 
five hundred dollars and be imprisoned not exceeding five 
years. 



Penalty for 
neglect by 
other than law- 
ful custodian, 
to deliver offi- 
cial records, 
etc. 



Sec. 2. Every person, other than the lawful custodian 
thereof, who shall have in his possession, or under his control, 
any such record, book, writing, letter or document as is 
designated in section one of this chapter, and who shall, 
without just cause, refuse or neglect for the space of ten 
days after request made in writing by any citizen of the 
state, to deliver such record, book, writing, letter or docu- 
ment to the lawful custodian of the same, shall be fined not 
exceeding five hundred dollars and be imprisoned not ex- 
ceeding five years. 



CHAPTER 36. 



Of the Powers of, and of Suits hy and against, Towns. 



Section 

4. Towns may grant money for schools, 

schoolhouses and school libraries. 

5. Towns may establish free public 

libraries. 

6. May appropriate money for the 

maintenance, etc., of such libraries. 



Section 
7. May appropriate money for free 

public library not its own. 
21. Town indebtedness limited to three 
per centum of taxable property. 
Town taxes limited to one per 
centum of ratable property. 



22. 



Section 4. Towns may, at any legal meeting, grant and 



Towns may 
grant money 

schoomo^uses ^'^^^ such sums of money as they shall judge necessary 

and school ji .^ ^;- 4;. ^ ^ j^ jj. ^ 

libraries. 



Chap. 36.] POWERS of, suits by and against, towns. 17 

For the support of schools, purchase of sites for and the 
building- and repair of schoolhouses ; and for the establishing 
and maintaining of school libraries ; 

Sec. 5. The electors in any town or city qualified to vote Power of, to 

•^ -^ ^ establish free 

iipon any proposition to impose a tax, or for the expenditure fj^rlries 
of money in such town or city, may, by a majority vote of 
such electors voting at the annual meeting for the election 
of town officers, or members of the city council therein, 
appropriate a sum not exceeding twenty-five cents on each 
one hundred dollars of the ratable property of such city or 
town in the year next preceding such appropriation, for the 
foundation therein of a free public library, with or without 
branches, for all the inhabitants thereof, and to provide suit- 
able rooms for such library, which shall be used under such 
regulations as may from time to time be prescribed by the 
town council of such town, or city council of such city. 

Sec. 6. Any town or city having established a free public May appro- 
priate for 

library therein, in manner as aforesaid, may annually, by the ™^such"^°^® 
majority vote of the electors of said town, qualified as afore- ^^'^'''*"®''- 
said and voting on the proposition, or by vote of the city 
council of said city, appropriate a sum not exceeding thirty 
cents on each one thousand dollars of its ratable property, » 
in the year next preceding such appropriation, for the main- 
tenance and increase of such library therein, and may take, 
receive, hold and manage any devise, bequest or donation 
for the establishment, increase or maintenance of a public 
library therein, to be under such regulations for its govern- 
ment, when they are not prescribed by its donor, as may 
from time to time be prescribed by the town council of such 
town, or the city council of such city. 

Sec. 7. Every town not owning a free public library may. May appro- 
priate for free 
at the annual town meeting, appropriate a sum not exceed- public library 

'^ ' ^ ^ ^ not Its own. 

ing thirty cents on each one thousand dollars of its ratable 

3 



18 



LA^YS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. 



[Chap. 43. 



Limitation of 
town's in- 
debtedness. 



Limitation of 
town taxes. 



property in the year next preceding such appropriation, for 
the maintenance and increase of any free public library 
therein. 

Sec. 21. No town shall, without special statutory au- 
thority therefor, incur any debt in excess of three per centum 
of the taxable property of such town, including the indebted- 
ness of such town on the tenth day of April, one thousand 
eight hundred seventy-eight, but the giving' of a new note or 
bond for a pre-existing debt, or for money borrowed and 
applied to the payment of such pre-existing debt, is ex- 
cepted from the provisions of this section, and the amount of 
any sinking fund shall be deducted in computing such in- 
debtedness. 

Sec. 22. No town shall assess its ratable property in any 
one year in excess of one per centum of its ratable value, ex- 
cept for the purpose of paying the indebtedness of such 
town or the interest thereon, or for appropriations to any of 
the sinking funds, or for extraordinary repairs for damages 
caused by the elements ; but assessments for specific benefits 
conferred by the opening or improving of any public high- 
way, or for any public sewer, shall not be taken to be within 
the provisions of this section. 



CHAPTER 43. 

Of the EstaUisJunent and Control of Free Pahlic Libraries 

hy Towns. 



Section 
1. Town or city council may accept 

gift of public library, or funds 

for. 
3. Town or city council to elect 

trustees, and may fill vacancies. 



Section 

3. Duties and powers of trustees. 

4. Appropriation for support of library 

to be made annually. 

5. Trustees to accept and receipt for 

legacies. 



Section 1. In case any librarj^, or funds for the establish- 
ment thereof, may be offered to any city or town on the con- 



Chap. 43.] TOWN libraries. 19 

dition that said libraiy shall be maintained as a free public Town or city 

council may 

library, the city council of any city, or town council of any ^^'^'^ep*,?!/'^ of 

J ^ -J J J ■! J public library 

town, is hereby authorized to accept such gift in behalf of °^ ^"°**^ ^°'"' 
the city or town. 

Sec. 2. Whenever any city or town shall establish a free Town or city 

council to 

public library, or shall become possessed, as above provided, elect trustees. 

of any such library, the aforesaid city council or town council, 

as the case may be, shall proceed to elect a board of trustees, 

to consist of not less than three members nor more than 

seven. As soon as possible after the election of the first Division of 

■■■ trustees. 

board the members thereof shall meet and be divided by lot 
into three groups or classes, the terms of office of one group 
expiring in one year from the date of their election, those of 
another group in two years, and those of the remaining 
group in three years. With the expiration of the term of how'^fliiefd.' 
office of any member the vacancy shall be filled by the city 
council or town council, as the case may be, for the term of 
three years. Yacancies occurring by resignation, removal, 
death, or otherwise, shall be filled as above for the unexpired 
term thereof. 

Sec. 3. The aforesaid trustees shall take possession of prolide^for 
said library, and shall thereafter be the legal guardians and '^^^^^ ^ ""^'^ 
custodians of the same. They shall provide suitable rooms 
for the library, arrange for the proper care of the same, 
choose one or more competent persons as librarians and fix 
their compensation, and make all needful rules and regula- 
tions for the government of the library and the use of the 
books : Promded, that no fee for the use of the books shall 
ever be exacted. , 

Sec. 4. . Each city or town acting under this chapter shall for^by'^town ° 
annually appropriate for the support of the public library an 
amount at least as much as that which the library shall re- 
ceive from the state. All appropriations from the city or 



20 



LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 44. 



Trustees are to town and state, and the income of all funds belonging to the 

control funds. ' =" ° 

library, shall be subject to the exclusive control of the trus- 
tees, and the several city and town treasurers shall pay, 
within the limits of the appropriations and other library 
funds in their hands, all bills properly certified by the said 
trustees. 



Trustees to 
accept and 
receipt for 
legacies. 



Sec. 5. In case of any bequest, legac}^, or gift to, or in 
favor of, a public library, the trustees thereof are hereby 
authorized and empowered to accept the same in behalf of, 
and for the use of, the library, and their receipt shall be a 
full and sufficient discharge and release to any executor, 
administrator, or other person authorized to make the pay- 
ment thereof. 



CHAPTER 44. 



Of Proj)€rty Liahle to and Exemjyt from Taxation. 



Section 
1. Propei'ty liable to taxation. 



Sectiox 
2. Property exempt from taxation. 



All property is 
liable, unless 
exempted. 



Property 
exempt from 
taxation. 



School 
property. 



Section 1. All real property in the state and all personal 
property belonging to the inhabitants thereof shall be liable 
to taxation unless otherwise specially provided. 

Sec. 2. The following property and no other, shall be ex- 
empt from taxation : Property belonging to the state ; lands 
ceded or belonging to the United States ; buildings for free 
public schools, buildings for religious worship and the land 
upon which they stand and immediately surrounding the 
same, to an extent not exceeding one acre, so far as said 
buildings and land are occupied and used exclusively for 
religious or educational purposes; the buildings and per- 
sonal estate owned by any corporation used for a school, 
academy or seminary of learning, and of any incorporated 



Chap. 44.] PKOPEETY LIABLE TO TAXATION. 21 

public charitable institution, and the land upon which said 
buildings stand and immediately surrounding the same, to 
an extent not exceeding one acre, so far as the same is used 
exclusively for educational purposes, but no property or 
estate whatever shall hereafter be exempt from taxation, in 
any case, where any part of the income or profits thereof or 
of the business carried on thereon, is divided among its 
owners or stockholders ; the estates, persons and families of 
the president and professors, for the time being, of Brown 
University, for not more than ten thousand dollars for each 
such officer, his estate, person and family included ; property 
specially exempt by charter, unless such exemption shall 
have been waived in whole or in part ; lots of land used ex- 
clusively for burial grounds ; the property, real and personal, 
held for or by any incorporated library society, or any free 
public library, or any free public library society, so far as 
said property shall be held exclusively for library purposes, 
or for the aid or support of poor friendless children, or for 
the aid or support of the aged pOor, or for the aid or support 
of the poor generally, or for a hospital for the sick or dis- 
abled, and any fund given or held for the purpose of public 
education ; almshouses and the land and buildings used in 
connection therewith, excei^t that almshouse-estates, when 
belonging to the town, shall be subject to taxation for school 
purposes, in the school district in which they are situated ; 
the estate of any person who in the judgment of the assessors 
is unable, from infirmity or poverty, to pay the tax ; the 
bonds and other securities issued and exempted from taxa- 
tion by the government of the United States. 



22 



LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. 



[Chap. 47. 



CHAPTER 47. 

Of Assessing and Collecting Poll Taxes. 



Section 

1. Poll tax to be assessed, when, and 

upon whom. 

2. Assessors entitled to certain in- 

formation from inhabitants of 
towns and cities. 



Section 

Penalty for refusing to give such 
information. 
S. Collection of poll tax. Tax to be 
applied to support of public 
schools. 



Poll tax to be 
assessed, 
when, and up- 
on whom. 



Assessors 
entitled to 
certain in- 
formation 
from the in- 
habitants of 
towns and 
cities. 



Penalty for 
refusing to give 
such informa- 
tion. 



Collection of 
poll tax. 



Section 1. The assessors of taxes of each town and city 
shall, at the time of the annual assessment of town and city 
taxes therein respectively, assess ag'ainst every person in 
said town or cit}^, who, if registered, would be qualified to 
vote, a tax of one dollar, or so much thereof as with his other 
taxes shall amount to one dollar. 

Sec. 2. The assessors of taxes of each town or city, or 
either of them, or any person by them authorized, may, at 
any time within three months preceding the time of assess- 
ing the poll tax in their respective towns or cities, require 
from any and every inhabitant of such town or cit\^ such in-- 
formation as may be deemed necessary by them, or either of ' 
them, to enable said assessors to decide whether or not any 
inhabitant is liable to assessment for said tax ; and any 
person who shall refuse to give such information, or shall 
wilfulh' make any false statements for the purpose of deceiv- 
ing in the giving of such information, shall be punished by 
fine not exceeding twenty dollars, or imprisonment in the 
count}^ jail for a term not exceeding ninety days. 

Sec 3. The assessors of taxes on completing the assess- 
ment of taxes as prescribed in this chapter, shall date and ' 
sign, and within three days thereafter deposit the same in 
the office of the town clerk, except in the city of Providence, 
and in the city of Providence deposit the same with the city 
treasurer thereof. The town clerk shall forthwith make a 
copy of the same and deliver it to the town treasurer, and 



Chap. 48.] 



COLLECTION OF TAXES. 



23 



the town treasurer shall forthwith issue and affix to said copy 
a warrant under his hand, and which need not be under seal, 
directed to the collector of taxes of the town commanding- 
him to proceed and collect the several sums of money therein 
expressed, of the persons liable therefor, by the time directed 
by the town, and to pay over the same to him or to his suc- 
cessor in office. Whenever any town shall elect its town 
treasurer collector of taxes for such town, such warrant shall 
be issued to the town treasurer as collector of taxes by the 
town clerk. The tax assessed according to the provisions of J^^ije^i'^to 
this chapter, shall be applied to the support of the public ^"''"^ '''^°°^'- 
schools in such town or city. 



CHAPTER 48. 

Of the Collection of Taxes. 



Section 

3. Taxes a lien on real estate. 
3. Lien, how long to continue. 
7. Tax may be collected from either 

real or personal estate. 
9. Collector may advertise and sell. 

10. Real estate may be sold after 

notice ; notice how given. 

11. Notice, how given in case of resi- 

dents. 

12. Notice to persons not taxed who 

have an interest in the property 
taxed. 

13. If non-residents, a copy of notice 

to.be sent by mail. 

14. Entry upon the land not necessary ; 

return to be made to town clerk 
under oath ; effect of return. 

15. Deed of real estate sold by collector 

or sheriff for taxes, what title 
vests in purchaser. 

16. Owner may redeem ,within one 

year. 



Section 

17. Collector may distrain and sell 

personal property. 

18. Property exempt from distraint. 

19. 20. Sales of personal property ; 

notice of, how given. 
Property to be sold by auction if 

tax is not paid. 
Surplus to be returned to owner. 
Collector may remove personal 

property for sale. 
May follow persons or property to 

any town. 
Sale may be adjourned. 
Collector may recover tax, how. 
Judgment, execution and levy. 
Proceedings, where person taxed 

is out of state. 
Warrant of distress to issue, when. 
Warrant is in force until tax is 

collected. - 
35. Collector may require aid. 



31. 



33. 

34. 

25. 
36. 
27. 
28. 

29. 
.34. 



Section 2. All taxes assessed ag-ainst any person in any Taxes alien on 

real estate. 

town for either personal or real estate shall constitute a lien 
on his real estate therein. 



24 



Lien to con- 
tinue, how 
long. 



LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 48. 

Sec. 3. All taxes assessed against tlie owner of any real 
estate shall constitute a lien on such real estate in any town, 
for the space of two years after the assessment, and, if such 
real estate be not aliened, then until the same is collected. 



Tax may be g^Q, 7, If any persou is taxed for several parcels of real 

collected from -^ *- -^ 

estate^^^^°^^^ estate, or for personal and real estate in the same tax, the 
whole of such person's tax may be collected, either out of the 
real or personal estate, or any part thereof : Provided, that 
no land aliened shall be sold, if the person taxed have other 
sufficient propertj^". 



Collector may 
advertise and 
sell. 



Sec. 9. The collector may advertise and sell any real 
estate liable for taxes in the manner hereinafter directed. 



Real estate 
may be sold 
after notice. 



Notice of sale, 
how to be 



How given in 
case of 
residents. 



Nptice to 
persons not 
taxed, who 
have an 
interest. 



Sec. 10. In all cases where any parcel of real estate is 
liable for payment of taxes, so much thereof as is necessary 
to pay the tax, interest, costs and expenses, shall be sold by 
the collector, at public auction, to the hig-hest bidder, after 
notice has been given of the levy, and of the time and place 
of sale, in some new^spaper published in the town, if there be 
one, and if there be no newspaper published in the town, 
then in some newspaper published in the county, at least 
once a week for the space of three weeks, and the collector 
shall also post up notices in two or more public places in the 
town for the same period. 

Sec. 11. If the jjerson to whom the estate is taxed be a 
resident of this state, the collector shall, in addition to the 
foregoing, cause notice of his levy, and of the time and place 
of sale, to be left at his last and usual place of abode, or 
personally served on him, at least twenty days previous to; 
the day of sale. 

Sec. 12. In case the collector shall advertise for sale any 
property, real, personal or mixed, in which any person other 
than the person to whom the tax is assessed has an interest. 



Chap. 48.] COLLECTION OF TAXES. 25 

Jie shall, provided the interest of such other person appears 
upon the records of the town, leave a copy of the notice of 
such sale at the last and usual place of abode, or personally 
with such other person, if within this state, twenty days 
prior to the time of such sale. 

Sec. 13. If such other person have no last and usual place Non-residents 

^ to have notice 

of abode within this state, then a copy of said notice shall ^^ ™'^"- 
be sent by mail to such person, at his place of residence, if 
known, twenty days prior to the time of such sale. 

Sec. 14. No entry upon the land by the collector shall be Entry not 

necessary. 

deemed necessary ; but the collector, in all cases of sales of 
real estate, shall make a return of all his proceedings under 
oath into the town clerk's office, within ten days after the 
sale ; which return shall be evidence of the facts therein 
stated. 

Sec. 15. The deed of any real estate, or of any interest ^sfeVb^^saie 
therein, sold for the payment of taxes, made and executed by ^'^'^ ^^^^^' 
the sheriff or collector who shall sell the same, shall vest in 
the purchaser, subject to the right of redemption hereinafter 
provided, all the estate, right and title the owner thereof had 
in and to such real estate at the time said tax was assessed^ 
free from any interest or incumbrance thereon of any person 
to whom the notice required by the provisions of this chapter 
shall have been given ; and the recitals in such deed shall be 
evidence of the facts stated. 

Sec. 16. The person who owned any real estate sold for owner may 

redeem within 

taxes, at the time of the assessment, or any interest therein, one year. 
his heirs, assigns or devisees, may redeem the same upon re- 
paying to the purchaser the amount paid therefor, with 
twenty per centum in addition, within one year after the sale, 
or within six months after final judgment has been rendered 
in any suit in which the validity of the sale is in question : 



26 LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 48. 

Provided, said suit be commenced within one year after such 
sale. 

Collector may g^c, 17. The Collector may distrain personal property, 
except as provided in the section following, and may sell the 
same in the manner hereinafter directed. 

Property ^EC. 18. Property exempt from attachment or distress by 

exempt from x ^ x 

distraint, etc. ^^^^ j^^^g ^f ^j^^g g^^te or of the United States shall not be 
liable to be distrained for any taxes whatsoever. 

Sales of Sec. 19. In all cases where personal property shall be 

personal 

notfc^e^of' how le^'ied on by any collector, he shall cause notice thereof, and 
given. ^j ^1^^ time and place of sale, to be left at the last and usual 

place of abode of the owner, or personally to be given tO' 
him, at least five days previous to the appointed time of sale,. 
if such owner have a last and usual place of abode in the 
state or if personal notice can be given to him. 

Same subject. Sec. 20. The Collector shall also in all cases advertise the 
same for three successive weeks in a newspaper, if there be 
one published in the town, if not, in the county, and shall 
also post up notices in three public places in said town, at 
least twenty days previous to the appointed time of sale. 

Of sale, tax Qec. 21. If such owner do not pay the amount of the tax,. 

not bemg paid. - i ^^ r 

with the interest or percentage and all costs and charges, by 
the time appointed for the sale, the collector shall sell the 
same, or enough to pay said sums, at public auction. 

Surplus to be Sec. 22. Any property or surplus of money remaining 

returned to j s.- i. ^ i. ^ o 

shall be returned to the owner or person entitled to receive 
it. If no owner or person entitled to receive the same can 
be found by the collector, he shall deliver such property or 
surplus of money to the town treasurer, who shall hold ■ the 
same subject to the call of the owner thereof. 

Sec. 23. Any collector may, with consent of the owner. 



owner. 



Cliap. 48.] COLLECTION OF TAXES. 27 

remove personal property for sale to any town or place, collector may 

remove 

where it may be sold to the best advantaofe, a'ivinsr notice to personal 

J o J ^ o property for 

the owner as before provided, and giving" notice as provided ^^^®' 
by section twenty of this chapter, in the town or place where 
the sale is to be made. 

Sec. 24. If any person or property taxed in one town re- May foUow 

persons or 

moves or is removed into another town before the tax is col- Y'^^f^J^'^ 

diiy town. 

lected, the collector may follow such person or property into 
any town, and levy or collect the tax with the same power 
as if not removed. 

Sec. 25. Any sale of real or personal estate or of any ad^■o^^^|d*'® 
interest therein, liable for the payment of taxes by the pro- 
visions of this chapter, may be adjourned from time to time. 

Sec. 26. The collector of any tax may recover the amount i?e°cov°e*i°ta™^'' 
thereof in an action of the case against the person taxed, 
and in the declaration it shall be sufficient to set forth that 
the action is to recover a specified sum of money, being a 
tax assessed against the defendant, specifying the town in 
which said tax was assessed and the time of ordering and 
assessing the same. 

Sec. 27. If judgment be rendered in favor of the collector. Judgment in 

such a case ; 

he shall have an allowance for his reasonable trouble in at- execution, how 

to issue ; effect 

tending to the suit, to be taxed by the court in the bill of °^ ^®^^" 
costs, and execution shall issue against the real and personal 
estate of the defendant, and the levy of the execution upon 
any real estate, upon which a lien for such tax is created by 
this chapter, shall be deemed to relate back, and take effect 
from the time of commencement of such lien. 

Sec. 28. If any person legally taxed shall be out of the Proceedings, 

persons taxed 

state, or depart therefrom, leaving no property liable for the the^tate*"^ 
tax, the collector may summon the attorney, agent, factor, 
trustee or debtor of such person before the district court of 



28 



LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 48. 



the district in which the town where the tax is assessed is 
situated, to declare on oath how much property, if any, of 
such absent person, he has in his possession ; and if he has 
sufficient property he shall forthwith pay such tax and 
charges, or deliver to the collector sufficient property there- 
for. 



Warrant of dis- 
tress to issue, 
when. 



Sec. 29. If any person so summoned shall neg-lect to ap- 
pear, or refuse to make oath, or having made oath shall refuse 
to p'ciy such tax and charges, or to deliver to the collector 
sufficient property therefor, if such he has, such district court 
shall forthwith grant to the collector a warrant of distress 
against the proper goods and chattels of such person so 
summoned, and the collector may distrain and sell the same 
wherever found, or so much thereof as will pay the tax and 
all interest and expenses, in manner provided by this chapter • 
and said district court shall have jurisdiction in the premises, 
although the amount involved shall exceed three hundred 
dollars. 



Warrants in 
force until 
tax is 
collected. 



Collector may 
require aid. 



Sec. 34. All warrants for the collecting of taxes shall con- 
tinue in force imtil the whole tax is collected, notwithstand- 
ing the time appointed for collecting the tax, or the year of 
office, may have expired, and notwithstanding the collector 
may have paid the tax into the town treasury. 

Sec. 35. Every collector shall have the same right to re- 
quire the aid or assistance of the persons present, in the 
performance of his duty, which a sheriff now has by law. 



Chap. 50.] PEOvisioNS conceening taxes. 



29 



CHAPTER 50. 



General Provisions Concerning Taxes. 



Section 

1. Towns may provide for deduction, 

if tax is paid; and impose per- 
centage, if tax is not paid. 

2. Officers neglecting' to perform duties 

required of them, liable to be 
indicted. 



Section 

3. Town taxes to have preference, in 

cases of insolvency. 

4. Compensation of assessors, town 

clerks and collectors. 

5. School district taxes. 



Any town may provide for such deduction Towns may 

provide for 



deduction, etc. 



Section 1 
from the tax assessed against any person, if paid by an ap- 
pointed time, or for such penalties by way of percentage on 
a tax, if not paid at the time appointed, not exceeding twelve 
per centum per annum, as they shall deem necessary to insure 
punctual payment. 



Sec. 2. Every officer who shall neglect or refuse to per- officers 

f .... neglecting 

form any duty imposed on him in this title, or who shall not betndicted"^^^ 
comply with the provisions thereof, or who shall in any wise 
knowingly violate any provisions thereof, shall be imprisoned 
not exceeding one year or be fined not exceeding five hun- 
dred dollars, which fine, in case it be a state tax, shall be 
paid into the state treasury, or if a town tax, into the town 
treasury, or if a school district tax, into the school district 
treasury, or if a fire corporation tax, into the fire corporation 
treasury. 

Sec. 3. Whenever any person shall become insolvent, or ,Town taxes to 

"^ ^ have prefer- 

die insolvent, town taxes due from him or his estate shall f^solVency. 
have preference, after debts or taxes due the United States 
and this state, over all other debts or demands, save those 
due for necessary funeral charges, and for attendance and 
medicine during his last sickness. 

Sec. 4. Assessors shall receive such compensation as the 
town shall allow ; town clerks shall be paid for copying tax 



LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. 



[Chap. 50. 



o?theTs^-^*'°^ ^^^^^ ^^ ^^^ other copies ; and collectors shall be paid for col- 
cferks^and^^ lecting' at the rate of five per centum, unless they shall have 
agreed with the town for a less sum ; which fees shall be paid 
out of the town treasury. In case of distraint of personal 
property, or levy on land, the collector shall have the same 
fees as sheriffs have in similar cases. 



School district 
taxes. 



8ec. 5. The provisions of this title shall apply to all 
school district taxes, so far as they may be applicable. 



TITLE IX. 



OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION. 



Chapter 51. Of tlie board of education. 

Chapter 52. Of tlie commissioner of public schools. 

Chapter 53. Of the appropriation for public schools. 

Chapter 54. Of the powers and duties of towns and of the town treasurer and town 

clerk relative to public schools. 

Chapter 55. Of the powers of school districts. 

Chapter 56. Of district meetings. 

Chapter 57. Of joint school districts. 

Chapter 58. Of the levy of district taxes. 

Chapter .59. Of the trustees of school districts. 

Chapter 60. Of the powers and duties of school committees. 

Chapter 61. Of teachers. 

Chapter 62. Of legal proceedings relating to public schools. 

Chapter 6.3. Of the normal school, teachers' institutes and lectures. 

Chapter 64. Of truant children and of the attendance of children in the public 

schools. 

Chapter 65. General provisions relating to public schools. 

Chapter 66. Of the Rhode Island college of agriculture and mechanic arts. 

Chapter 67. Of state beneficiaries at the Rhode Island school of design. 

Chapter 68. Of factory inspection. 



Chap. 51.] 



BOAED OF EDUCATION. 



31 



CHAPTER 51. 



Of the Board of Education. 



Sectio* 

1. Board of education, how con- 

stituted, and duties of. 

2. How divided, and term of office 

of members. 

3. "Vacancies, liow filled. 

4. Officers of the board. 

5. To hold quarterly meetings, and 

prescribe rules. 

6. Appropriation for free public libra- 

ries. 

7. Board to prescribe conditions on 

which libraries may receive aid. 



Section 

8. Payments, how to be made. 

9. Annual reports to be made to the 

board, by officers of schools re- 
ceiving state aid. 

10. Private schools to be registered. 

11. Board to furnish forms for returns 

under preceding two sections. 
13. Chapter 86 unaffected. 

13. Board to report annually. 

14. Travelling expenses of the board to 

be paid, and how. 



Section 1. The e-eneral supervision and control of the constitution 

and duty of 

public schools of the state, with such high schools, normal the board, 
schools and normal institutes, as are or may be established 
and maintained wholly or in part by the state, shall be vested 
in a state board of education, which shall consist of the 
governor and the lieutenant-governor, as members by virtue 
of their office, and of one other member from each of the 
counties of the state, with the exception of Providence 
county, which shall have two other members. The board of 
education shall elect the commissioner of public schools. 



Sec. 2. 

continue to be divided into three classes, and to hold their 
offices until the terms for which they were respectively 
elected shall have expired. 



term of office 
of members. 



Two members of the board of education shall be vacancies, 

how filled. 



Sec. 3. 

elected annually at the May session of the general assembly, 
in grand committee-, from the counties in which vacancies shall 
occur in said board, who shall hold office for three years, and 
until their successors shall have been elected and qualified ; 
vacancies in said board shall be tilled for any unexpired term 
by an election from the county for which the member whose 



32 



Officers. 



Meetings. 



Free public 
libraries may 
be aided. 



Board to pre- 
scribe condi- 
tions on whicli 
libraries may 
receive aid. 



LAWS PEETAIXING TO EDUCATION. [Cliap. 51. 

office is vacant was elected, in the same manner, at any ses- 
sion of the g-eneral assembly. 

Sec. 4. The governor shall be president, and the commis- 
sioner of public schools shall be secretaiy of the board of 
education. 

Sec. 5. The board of education shall hold quarterly meet- 
ings in the first week of March, June, September and Decem- 
ber of each year, at the office of the commissioner of public 
schools, and may hold special meetings at the call of the 
president or secretary. They shall prescribe, and cause to 5 
be enforced, all rules and regTilations necessary for carrying 
into effect the laws in relation to public schools. 

Sec. 6. The board of education may caused to be paid 
annually to and for the use of each free public library es- 
tablished and maintained in the state, and to be expended in 
the purchase of books therefor, a sum not exceeding fifty 
dollars for the first five hundred volumes included in such 
library, and twenty-five dollars for every additional five 
hundred volumes therein : Provided, that the annual pay- 
ment for the benefit of any one such library shall not exceed, 
the sum of five hundred dollars. 

Sec. 7. The board of education shall from time to time 
establish rules prescribing- the character of the books which 
shall constitute such a Kbrarj^ as will be entitled to the bene- 
fits conferred by the preceding section, regulating the man- 
agement of such library so as to secure the free use of the 
same to the people of the town and neighborhood in which 
it shall be established, and directing the mode in which the 
sums paid in pursuance of this chapter shall be expended. 
No library shall receive any benefit under the foregoing pro- 
visions, unless such rules shall have been complied with by 
those in charge thereof, nor until thej' shall have furnished 



Chap. 51.] BOARD OF EDUCATION. 33 

to said board satisfactory evidence of the number and char- 
acter of the books contained in said library. 

Sec. 8. Every payment herein authorized shall be made Payments,how 

, to be made. 

by the general treasurer upon the order of the commissioner 
of public schools, approved by the board of education, and 
payable to the librarian or other person having charge of 
such library or of the funds applied to its support designated 
by said board. 

Sec. 9. The trustees, officers, or persons in charge of all by officers^of*^ 
schools and educational institutions supported wholly or in fng-'state^ail!'^' 
part by this state, whether entirely devoted to education or 
only partially so, shall make a report annually in the month 
of July to the state board of education, of such facts as shall 
show the number of pupils and instructors, the courses of 
study, the cost of maintenance, and general needs and con- 
ditions of the school or institution. 

Sec. 10. All private schools or institutions of learning in Private schools 

are to be 

this state shall be registered at the office of the state board legistered. 
of education, said registry showing- location, name, officers 
or persons in charge, grade of instruction, and common 
language used in teaching. They shall also make a report 
annually in the month of July, to the state board of educa- 
tion, showing the number of different pupils enrolled, the 
average attendance, and the number of teachers employed. 

Sec. 11. The board shall provide registers for all such Registers and 

'- ^ blanks. 

schools and institutions, and shall prepare blank forms of 
inquiry for the facts called for in the tAvo sections next pre- 
ceding, and in doing so shall have special reference to the 
requirements of the bureau of education at Washington. 

Sec. 12. Nothing in the three sections next preceding chapter 86 

^ . unaffected. 

shall be so construed as to repeal, affect, or modify the pro- 
visions of chapter eighty -six. 



43 



LAWS PEETAINING TO EDUCATION. [Oliap. 52. 



Annual report. Qec. 13. The boarcl of education shall make an annual 
report to the general assembly at the adjourned session at 
Providence. 



Travelling 
expenses of 
board, how 
paid. 



Sec. 14. The members of said board shall receive no 
compensation for their services, but the general treasurer 
shall pay, upon the order of the state auditor, the necessary 
expenses of the members, when attending the meetings of 
the board, or when travelling on official business within the 
state, after the bills have been approved by the general 
assembly. 



CHAPTER 52. 



To be elected 
by the board 
of education. 



May employ a 
clerk. 



Of the Cormnissioner of Public Schools. 



Section 

1. Commissioner, how elected. 

2. May employ a clerk. 

3. Duties of the commissioner. 

4. To secure uniformity of text-books. 



Section 

5. To prepare and distribute pro- 

gramme for Arbor Day. 

6. To report to the general assembly. 



Section 1. There shall be annually elected a commissioner 
of public schools in the manner prescribed in the preceding 
chapter, who shall devote his time exclusively to the duties 
of his office. In case of sickness, temporary absence,, or 
other disability, the governor may appoint a person to act as 
commissioner during such absence, sickness or disability. 

Sec. 2. He may emploj^ a clerk to assist in the duties of 
his office. 



General duties 
of the 
commissioner. 



Sec. 3. The commissioner of public schools shall visit, as 
often as practicable, every school district in the state, for the 
purpose of inspecting the schools, and diffusing as widely as 
possible, by public addresses and personal communications 
with school officers, teachers and parents, a knowledge of the 
defects, and of any desirable improvements, in the adminis- 



Chap. 53.] APPROPRIATION FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 



35 



tration of the system and the goverDinent and instrnction of 
the schools. 

Sec. 4. He shall, under the direction of the board of ^ext-books. 
education, recommend and bring about, as far as practicable, 
a uniformit}^ of text-books in the schools of all the towns ; 
and shall assist in the establishment of, and selection of 
books for, school libraries. 

Sec. 5. The commissioner of public schools shall prepare Arbor Day. 
each year a programme of exercises suitable for the ob- 
servance of Arbor Day, and shall distribute the same among 
all of the public schools of the state at least four weeks 
previous to said day. 

Sec. 6. He shall annually, in December, make a report to Annual report. 
the board of education, upon the state and condition of the 
schools and of education, with plans and suggestions for the 
improvement of said schools. 



CHAPTER 53. 



Of the Appropriation for Public Schools. 



Section 

1. Appropriation from treasury to be 
paid annually. 
' 2. How apportioned. 

3. How expended. 

4. Conditions upon which towns shall 

receive their proportion. 

5. Forfeiture of town's proportion, 

when. 



Section 



Orders on the general treasurer. 
S. Appropriation for reference 
books and illustrative appara- 
tus. How apportioned. 
Of future apportionments in case 
applications exceed the amount 
of appropriation. 
Evening schools. 



Section 1. The -sum of one hundred and twenty thousand ^^^J'treLsSy ■ 
dollars shall be annually paid out of the income of the per- 
manent school fund, and from other money in the treasury, 
for the support of public schools in the several towns, on 
the order of the commissioner of public schools. 



36 



LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 53. 



How 
apportioned. 



Sec. 2. This sum of one hundred and twenty thousand 
dollars shall be apportioned by the commissioner of public 
schools among the several towns, as follows : The sum of one 
hundred dollars shall be apportioned for each school, not to 
exceed fifteen in number in any one town ; the remainder 
shall be apportioned in proportion to the number of children 
from five to fifteen years of age, inclusive, in the several 
towns, according to the school census then last preceding. 

Sec. 3. The money appropriated from the state as afore- 
said shall be denominated " teachers' money," and shall be 
ajjplied to the wages of teachers, and to no other purpose. 

Towns to Sec. 4. No town shall receive any part of such state 

receive, on "^ '• 

eciuaP°'^°^^'^ appropriation, unless it shall raise by tax, for the support of 
appropria ion. p^^j^jj^ schools, a sum equal to the amount it may receive 
from the treasury for the support of public schools. 



How 
expended. 



Forfeiture, 
when ; and 
forfeitures to 
be added to 
school fund. 



The commis- 
.sioner to draw 
on general 
treasurer in 
(favor of towns 
entitled. 



Appropriation 
for reference- 
books and illus- 
trative 
apparatus. 



Sec. 5. If any town shall neglect or refuse to raise or 
appropriate the sum required in the preceding section, on or 
before the first day of July, in any year, its proportion of the 
public money shall be forfeited, and the general treasurer, on 
being- informed thereof in writing by the commissioner of 
public schools, shall add it to the permanent school fund. 

Sec. 6. The commissioner of public schools shall draw 
orders on the general treasurer for their proportion of the 
appropriation for public schools, in favor of all such towns 
as shall on or before the first day of July annually comply 
with the conditions of section four of this chapter. 

Sec. 7. The sum of three thousand dollars shall be 
annually appropriated for the purchase of dictionaries, en- 
cyclopedias and other works of reference, maps, globes and 
other apparatus, for the use of the public schools of the 
state. 



Sec. 8. Said sum of three thousand dollars shall be 



Chap. 53.] APPROPRIATION FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 37 

apportioned among- the several towns and districts as follows : Apportion- 

,..,.. , raent of said 

Jiivery town or district desiring to avail itself of this appro- appropriation. 

priation shall make application therefor to the commissioner 

of public schools, stating- the amount that has been raised or 

appropriated for the same purpose by the town or district. 

Upon the receipt of said application and vouchers for the 

amount actually expended, the commissioner of public schools 

may draw his order on the general treasurer in favor of said audfto^^o^r*^*^ 

applicant for half of the amount of said vouchers, to an 

amount not to exceed twenty dollars in any one year, in favor 

of any district, or, in case of any town not divided into 

districts, at the rate of not more than ten dollars for each 

school, to an amount not to exceed two hundred dollars in 

any one year : Provided, that the gross amount in any one 

fiscal year shall not exceed three thousand dollars. 

Sec. 9. In case the number and amount of applications in of apportion- 

*- ^ ments, when 

any one fiscal year shall exceed the limit of the appropria- l^ms^xceed 
tion, the commissioner of public schools shall record the date '^pp'*'P"^ ''^'°- 
of each application, and in the apportionment for the follow- 
ing year such recorded applications shall have the preference 
in the order of their dates. 

Sec. 10. There shall be an annual appropriation for the priauoli fo?™" 
support and maintenance of evening schools in the several schooil 
towns of this state, under the general supervision of the 
state board of education, who shall apportion said appropria- 
tion annually among the several towns and draw orders there- 
for on the g-eneral treasurer. 



38 



LAAYS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. 



[Chap. 54, 



CHAPTER 54. 

Of the Poicers and Duties of Toiois and of the Town 
Treasurer and Town Clerk Relative to Puhlic Schools. 



Town to main- 
tain its schools. 
witti or with- 
out districts. 



Districts may 
be established. 



Sectiox 

1. Towns to maintain schools with or 

without districts. 

2. Towns may be divided into districts. 

3. Schoolhouses, how to be provided. 

4. Towns may abolish school districts. 

5. Powers and liabilities of discon- 

tinued district. 
Control of public schools to then 

vest in school committee. 
School committee, how and when 

chosen. 
Superintendent, how appointed, his 

duties and compensation. 
Town treasurer to receive and keep 

accovint of school money. 



6. 



Sectiox 
10. To 



14. 



submit statement of school 

money to committee. 
To transmit statement of money 

raised and paid out, to commis- 
sioner. 
Town clerk to record boundaries 

of districts, and distribute school 

documents. 
Annual census of children of school 

age to be taken. 
Blanks, by whom provided and to 

call for what information. 
Census returns, how arranged and 

disposed of. 



Section 1. Every town shall establish and maintain, with 
or without forming districts, a sufficient number of public 
schools, at convenient places, under the management of the 
school committee, subject to the supervision of the commis- 
sioner of public schools as provided by this title. 

Sec. 2. Any town may be divided by a vote thereof, into 
school districts. 



Schoolhouses 
how to be 
provided. 



Sec. 3. Any town may vote, in a meeting notified for that 
purpose, to proA'ide schoolhoiises, together with the necessary 
fixtures and appendages thereof, in all the districts, if there 
be districts, at the common expense of the town : Provided, 
that if any district shall provide, at its own expense, a school- 
house approved by the school committee, such district shall 
not be liable to be taxed bj' the town to provide or repair 
schoolhouses for the other districts. 



Towns may 
abolish all 
school 
districts. 



Sec. 4. Any town may at any town meeting, or at district 
meetings for the election of town officers, the subject having 
been duly inserted in the Avarrant for said meeting or meet- 



Chap. 54.] DUTIES OF TOWNS TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 39 

ings, abolish all of the school districts therein ; and forth- 
with all title and interest in all of the schoolhouses, land, 
furniture, apparatus and other property which was vested in 
the several districts shall be vested in the town. The 
property so taken by the town shall be appraised by a com- District 

, \ . . property, how 

mission of three disinterested persons to be appointed by the appraised ; 
common pleas division of the supreme court in the county in 
which such town is situated, and, at the next annual assess- 
ment of taxes thereafter, a tax shall be levied upon the whole 
town equal to the amount of said appraisal ; and there shall remittld^to 
be remitted to the taxpayers of each district their propor- 
tional share of the appraised value of the school property in 
such district : Provided, that if any district be in debt, and District debts. 
said debt be assumed by the town, the amount of said debt 
shall be deducted from the whole amount to be remitted to 
the taxpayers of said district. If, however, the parties in in- 
terest prefer, the differences in the value of the property of the 
several districts may be adjusted in such manner as they may 
agree upon. 

Sec. 5. Upon the abolition or discontinuance of any dis- Powers and 

liabilities of a 

trict, its corporate powers and liabilities shall continue and discontinued 
remain so far as may be necessary for the enforcement of its 
rights and duties. 

Sec. 6. When a town shall abolish the school districts control of the 

. . public schools 

therein, the entire control, management and care of all the to then vest la 

" school 

public school interests of the town shall be vested in the committee, 
school committee of that town, and the number of the school 
committee in any town abolishing the district system may 
be, by vote of the town, increased to a number not exceeding 
seven. 

Sec. 7. The school committee of each town shall consist school com- 
mittee, how 
of three residents of the town, or of such number as at the chosrn^*^" 

present time constitute the committee, and they shall be 



40 



Superinten- 
dents of 
schools, how 
and when to 
be elected. 



Town 

treasurer to 
receive school 
money, and 
account 
therefor. 



LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Cliap. 54. 

divided as equally as may be into three classes, whose several 
terms of office shall expire at the end of three years from the 
dates of their respective elections ; and in the case of the first 
election of a school committee under this chapter, the terms 
of office of the three classes shall be respectively one year 
two years and three years; the classes and their terms of 
office to be determined by lot bj^ the committee at their first 
meeting after their election. As the office of each class shall 
become vacant, such vacancy or vacancies shall be filled by 
the town at its annual town meeting- for the election of state 
or town officers, or b}^ the town council at its next meeting 
thereafter. In case of a vacancy by death, resignation, or 
other-wise than as is above provided, such vacancy shall be 
filled bj" the town council until the next annual town meet- 
ing for state or town officers, when it shall be filled for the 
unexpired term thereof as is above provided. 

Sec. 8. The school committee of each town shall elect a 
superintendent of the public schools of the town, to perform, 
under the advice and direction of the committee, such duties, 
and to exercise such powers, as the committee shall assign 
him, and to receive such compensation out of the town 
treasmy as the town shall vote. Said superintendent shall 
be elected at the first regular meeting of the school com- 
mittee succeeding the annual election of school committee ; 
but the committee shall have power to fill a vacancy at any 
meeting duly called. 

Sec. 9. The town treasurer shall receive the money due 
the town from the state for pubHc schools, and shall keep a 
separate account of all money appropriated by the state or 
town or otherwise for public schools in the town, and shall 
pay the same to the order of the school committee, and he 
shall credit the public school account, on the first Monday of 
May in each year, with the total amount of money received 



Chap. 54.] DUTIES or towns to public schools. 41 

by him for poll taxes during the year ending- the thirtieth 
day of April last preceding. 

Sec. 10. The town treasurer shall, before the first day of JtatemSit 
July in each year, submit to the school committee a state- school co^m- 

.... mittee. 

ment of all moneys applicable to the support of public 
schools for the current school year, specifying the sources of 
the same. 

Sec. 11. The town treasurer shall, on or before the first 4ilsioner°S' 
day of July, annually, transmit to the commissioner of public ^""^^'^ schools. 
schools a certificate of the amount which the town has voted 
to raise by tax for the support of public schools for the 
current year ; and also a statement of the amount paid out 
to the order of the school committee, and from what sources 
it was derived, for the year ending the thirtieth day of April 
next preceding ; and until such return is made to the com- 
missioner, he may, in his discretion, withhold the order for 
the money in the state treasury belonging to such town. 

Sec. 12. The town clerk shall record the boundaries of ^^eTreqorVof 
school districts and all alterations thereof in a book to be scC(fi*"^^°* 
kept for that purpose, and shall distribute such school docu- distribute 
ments and blanks as shall be sent to him, to the persons for documents. 
whom they are intended. 

Sec. 13. The town clerks, or some person whom the board children of 
of aldermen of any city, or the town council of any town, 
shall appoint for the purpose, shall annually, in the month of 
January, take or cause to be taken a census of all persons 
between the ages of five and fifteen years, inclusive, residing 
within the limits of iheir respective towns on the first day of 
said January. 

Sec 14. The bla,nk forms required to carry out the re- census forms 

^ "^ to be furnished 

quirements of the preceding section shall be furnished by the com^ss/oner. 
commissioner of public schools to each town on or before the 



42 



LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 55, 



Penalty for 
refusal to glre 
information. 



Census returns 
to be deposited 
where, and 
certified to 
school com- 
missioner. 



first day of December in each year, and they shall call in 
substance for the following information, namely, the name, 
age, number of weeks' attendance upon any school, parents' 
name and residence, of each person enumerated ; and if any 
parent or guardian shall refuse to give the above information 
in regard to his children or wards, or shall knowingly and 
wilfully falsify such information, he shall be fined not exceed- 
ing twenty dollars. 

Sec. 15. The returns of said census shall be alphabetically 
arranged and deposited in the hands of the school committees 
of the several towns on or before the first day of March in 
each year; and the receipt of the chairman or clerk of the 
school committee to the effect that the above returns have 
been so received by him shall be forwarded to the commis- 
sioner of public schools before he shall draw his order for 
the payment of any portion of the public money to that town. 



CHAPTER 55. 



Of the Poioers of School Districts. 



Section 
1. School districts are bodies cor- 
porate. 
3. Powers of school districts. 

3. District may build and repair school- 

houses. 

4. May raise money by tax. 

5. OfQcers of the district. 

6. Powers and duties of district officers. 



Section 

7. District taxes, how collected. 

8. Town collector may collect. 

9. Districts neglecting to organize, 

committee may establish the 
school. 
10. District may devolve its duties and 
powers on the committee. 



School 
districts are 
bodies cor- 
porate, and 
how . 

distinguished. designation 



Section 1. Every school district shall be a body corpo- 
rate, and shall be known by its number or other suitable 



General Sec. 2. Every school district may prosecute and defend in 

powers of the 

dtstr?ct« ^^^ actions in which said district or its officers are parties, 

may purchase, receive, hold and convey, real or personal 



Otiap. 55.] POWEES OF school districts. 43 

property for school purposes, and may establish and maintain 
a school library. 

Sec. 3. Every such district may build, purchase, hire and and^use and'^' 
repair schoolhouses, and supply the same with blackboards, ^^^^ ^^ ^^^^' 
maps, furniture and other necessary and useful appendages, 
and may insure the house and appendages against damage 
by fire : Provided, that the erection and repairs of the school- 
house shall be made according to the plans approved by the 
school committee or, on appeal, by the commissioner of 
public schools. 

Sec. 4. Every such district may raise money by tax on powers of 
the ratable property of the district, to support public schools, 
and to carry out the powers given them by any of the pro- 
visions of this title : Provided, that the amount of the tax 
shall be approved by the school committee of the town. 

Sec. 5. Every such district shall annually elect a moder- officers of 
ator, a clerk, a treasurer, a collector and either one or three 
trustees, as the district shall decide, and may fill vacancies in 
either of said ofiices at any legal meeting. The moderator 
may administer the oath of ofiice to all the other officers of 
the school district. i^See Chapter SOJf., Puhlic Lavjs.) 

Sec. 6. The clerk, collector and treasurer, within their re- Powers and 
«pective school districts, shall have the like power, and shall officers. 
perform like duties, as the clerk, collector and treasurer of a 
town ; but the clerk, collector and treasurer need not give 
bond, unless required by the district. 

Sec. 7. All district taxes shall be collected by the district collection of 

district taxes. 

or town collector, m the same manner as town taxes are 
collected. 

'Sec. 8. Any district may vote to place the collection of may collect ^""^ 
any district tax in the hands of the collector of town taxes, * ®"^' 



44 



LAAYS PERTAINIXG TO EDUCATIOX. 



[Chap. 56. 



School com- 
mittee to 
organize the 
school when. 



District may 
devolve its 
povrers on 
school 
committee. 



who shall thereupon be fully authorized to proceed and 
collect the same, upon giving bond therefor to the district 
satisfaetorj' to the school committee. 

Sec. 9. If any school district shall neglect to organize, or, 
if organized, shall for any siDace of six months neglect to es- 
tablish a school and em^Dloy a teacher, the school committee 
of the town may themselves or b}" an agent establish a school 
in the district schoolhouse, or elsewhere in the district, in 
their discretion, and employ a teacher. 

Sec. 10. Any district may, with the consent of the school 
committee, devolve all the powers and duties relating to 
public schools in the district on the school committee. 



CHAPTER 56. 

Of District Meetings. 



1. Meetings, notice of, how and by 

whom to be given. 

2. Annual meeting, when held. 

3. Special meetings, how called. 

4. District meeting, where held. 



Section" 

5. I^otice of time and place, how to be 

given. 

6. Qualification of voters. 

7. Clerk to record names of voters on 

request. 



Notice of 
meeting for 
organization, 
or of other 
meetings, by 
whom to be 
given. 



Annual 
meeting. 



Sectiox 1. Xotice of the time, place and object of hold- 
ing the first meeting of a district for organization or for a 
meeting, either annual or special, to choose officers or to 
transact any other business, shall be given by the trustees or, 
in case of the death, removal, resignation or disability of the 
trustees, bj^ the clerk of the district ; in case there be no 
trustee or clerk authorized to call a meeting such notice shall 
be given by the school committee of the town. 

Sec. 2. Every school district when organized, shall hold 
an annual meetiug in the month of April of each year for 
choice of officers and for the transaction of any other business 
relating to schools. 



Chap. 56.] DISTRICT meetings. 45 

Sec. 3. The trustees or, in case of the death, removal, special meet- 

' ' ' ings, now 

resignation or disabiHty of the trustees, the clerk may call a °''^^^^^- 
special meeting for election or other business at any time, 
and shall call one to be held within seven days on the written 
request of any five qualified electors stating the object for 
which they wish it called ; and if the trustees or clerk, as 
above provided, neglect or refuse to call a special meeting 
when so requested, the school committee may call it and fix 
the time therefor : Provided, that no special district meeting consent of 

school corn- 
shall be called without the consent of the school committee, mitteere- 

' quired, when. 

to consider any subject which shall have been acted on by 
the district at any time within six months previous to the 
time of such proposed meeting. 

Sec. 4. District meetings shall be held in the schoolhouse, pistnct meet- 

° ^ ing to be held, 

unless otherwise ordered by the district. If there be no where. 
schoolhouse or place appointed by the district for its meet- 
ings, the trustees or, in case of the death, removal, resigna- 
tion or disability of the trustees, the clerk, and, if there be 
no trustees or clerk, the school committee, shall determine 
the place, which shall always be within the district. 

Sec. 5. Notice of the time and place of every annual 5-°*^*^'^°^ 
meeting, and of the time, place and object of every special 
meeting, shall be given, either by publishing the same in a 
newspaper published in the district, or by posting the same 
in two or more public places in the district for five days 
before holding the same. 

Sec. 6. Every person residing in the district may vote in Qualification 

of voters. 

district meetings to the same extent and with the same re- 
strictions as he might at the time vote in town meeting ; but 
no person shall vote upon any question of taxation of prop- 
erty, or expending money raised thereby, unless he shall 
have paid or be liable to pay, a portion of the tax. 

Sec. 7. The clerk of the district shall record the number 



46 



LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 57. 



District clerk 
to make 
record of 
votes taken, 
if requested. 



and names of the persons voting, and on which side of the 
question, at the request of any quahfied voter. 



CHAPTEK 57 



Of Joint School Districts. 



Section 

1. Adjoiuicg districts may establish ad- 

vanced school. 

2. Such districts to constitute a dis- 

trict as to such school. 

3. Organization. 

4. Public money, how drawn. 

5. Adjoining districts in the same town 

may consolidate. 

6. To receive public money as if not 

united. 
T. Organization. 
8. Adjoining districts, or parts, in 



Section 

adjoining towns may be formed 
into joint districts, and discon- 
tinued. 
9. Organization. 

10. Powers of such joint district. 

11. Public money to be apportioned. 

12. Corporate property, how owned. 

13. Apportionment, when district is 

divided. 

14. Payment when, by part of a district 

added to district. 



Ad.>oining 
districts may 
establish an' 
advanced 
school. 



Such districts 
are a school 
district as to 
such school. 



Organization. 



Section 1. Any two or more adjoining school districts in 
the same or adjoining towns maj^, by a concurrent vote, es- 
tabhsh a school for the older and more advanced children of 
such districts. 

Sec. 2. Such associating districts shall constitute a school 
district for the purposes of providing a schoolhouse, fuel, 
furniture and apparatus, and for the election of a board of 
trustees, to consist of one member from each district so 
associating, and for levying a tax for school jDurposes, with 
all the rights and privileges of a school district, so far as 
such school is concerned. 

Sec. 3. The time and place for the meeting for organiza- 
tion of such associate district may be fixed by the school 
committees, and any one or more of the associating districts 
may delegate to the trustees of such school the care -and 
management of its primary school. 



Sec. 4. The school committee of the town or towns in 



Chap. 57.] JOINT SCHOOL districts. 47 

which such school shall be established, shall draw an order Public money, 

how to be 

in favor of the trustees of such school, to be paid out of the drawn. 
public money appropriated to each district interested in such 
school, in proportion to the number of scholars from each. 

Sec. 5. Any two or more adjoining school districts in the Adjoining 

districts in 

same town may, by concurrent vote, with the approbation of same town 

•J ' •' ' J- A may con- 

the school committee, unite and be consolidated into one ^o'^'^'^^te. 
district for the purpose of supporting public schools, and 
such consolidated district shall have all the powers of a single 
district. 

Sec. 6. Such consolidated district shall be entitled to re- Entitled to 

state aid as if 

ceive the same proportion of public money as such districts "oMate,! 
would receive if not united. 

Sec. 7. The mode of organizing such consolidated dis- organization, 
trict and calling the first meeting thereof shall be regulated 
or prescribed by the school committee, and notice thereof 
given as prescribed in section five of chapter fifty-six. 

Sec. 8. Two or more adjoining districts, or parts of dis- Adjoining 

districts or 

tricts, in adjoining towns may be formed into a joint school ad^ofnln'^^*^^^'^ 

district by the school committees of such towns concurring fo^ld^o? ^^ 

therein ; and all joint districts which have been or shall be as joint school 
formed may by them be altered or discontinued. 



districts. 



Sec. 9. The meeting for organization of such joint dis- organization. 
trict shall be called by the school committees of such towns, 
and notice thereof shall be given as prescribed in section five 
of chapter fifty-six. 

Sec. 10. Such joint district shall have all the powers of a Powers of 

'- such joint 

single school district, and shall be regulated in the same 'district. 
manner, and shall be subject to the supervision and manage- 
ment of the school committee of the town in which the 
school is located. 



48 



LAAYS PEETAIXING TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 58. 



State aid to be 
apportioned. 



Corporate 
property. 



Apportion- 
ment, when 
district is 
divided. 



Contribution, 
when, by part 
of a district 
added to 
district. 



Sec. 11. A whole district making a portion of such joint 
district shall be entitled to its proportion of public money, 
in the same manner as if it had remained a single district; 
and whenever part of a district is taken to form a portion of 
such joint district, the school committee of the town of 
which such district is a part shall assign to it its reasonable 
proportion. 

Sec. 12. Whenever any two or more districts shall be 
consolidated, the new district shall own all the corporate 
property of the several districts. 

Sec. 13. Whenever a district is divided and a portion 
taken from it, the funds and property, or the income and pro- 
ceeds thereof, shall be divided among the several parts in 
such manner as the school committee of the town or towns 
to which the districts belong may determine. 

Sec. 14. Whenever a part of one district is added to 
another district or part of a district owning a schoolhouse or 
other property, such part shall pay to the district or part of 
a district to which it is added, if demanded, such sum as the 
school committee may determine, towards paying for such 
schoolhouse and other property. 



CHAPTER 58. 

Of the Levy of District Taxes. 



Section 

1. District taxes, liow levied. 

2. Town assessors to assess' value of 

property in what cases. 

3. Notice of assessment. 

4. Commissioner in certain cases may 

order assessment. 

5. Errors in assessment, how cor- 

rected. 



Sectiox 

6. Abatement of taxes, when and how 

made. 

7. Schoolhouse taxes and expenses by 

joint districts, by whom to be 
approved. 

8. Assessment of taxes in joint or as- 

sociated districts. 



Section 1. District taxes shall be levied on the ratable 



Chap. 58.] LEVY OF district taxes. ,49 

property of the district, accordino' to its value in the town District taxes, 

how to be 

assessment then last made, unless the district shall direct levied. 
such taxes to be levied according- to the next town assess- 
ment ; and no notice thereof shall be required to be given by 
the trustees. 

Sec. 2. The trustees of any school district, if unable to fsseTs^value of 
agree with the parties interested with regard to the valuation what^ca^'e!"^ 
of any property in such district, shall call upon one or more 
of the town assessors not interested, and not residing in the 
district, to assess the value of such property so situated, in 
the following cases, namely : Whenever any real estate in the 
district is assessed in the town tax bill with real estate out 
of the district, so that there is no distinct or separate value 
upon it ; whenever any person possessing personal property 
shall remove into the district after the last town assessment ; 
whenever a division and apportionment of a tax shall become 
necessary by reason of the death of any person, or the sale 
of such property ; whenever a person has invested personal 
property in real estate and shall call upon the trustees to 
place a value thereon ; and whenever property shall have 
been omitted in the town valuation. 

Sec. 3, The assessors shall give notice of such assessment ^ggessm^nt 
by posting up notices thereof for ten days next prior to such 
assessment in three public places in the district ; and after 
notice is given as aforesaid, no person neglecting to appear 
before the assessors shall have any remedy for being over- 
taxed. 

Sec. 4. If a district tax shall be voted, assessed and ap- when commis- 
sioner of public 
proved of, and a contract legally entered into under it, or schools may 

such contract be leg-ally entered into without such vote, ^^^^s^™®'^*- 
assessment, or approval, and said district shall thereafter 
neglect or refuse to proceed to assess and collect a tax suffi- 
cient to fulfill such contract, the commissioner of public 



50 LAWS peetaixixCt to education. [Cliap. 58. 

scliools, after notice to and liearing- of the parties, may ap- 
l^oint assessors to assess a tax for that purpose, and may 
issue a warrant to the collector of the district, or to a col- 
lector by him appointed, authorizing and rec^uiring' him to 
proceed and collect such tax. 

Errors, how Sec. 5. Errors in assessing a tax may be corrected, or the 

corrected. 

tax re-assessed, in such manner as may be directed or ap- 
proYed by the commissioner of public schools. 

4xe^s^wiiwi°^ Sec. 6. Whenever anj' person who has paid a tax for 
and how made, i^^^ji^^i^^g q^ repairing a schoolhouse in one district shall, by 
alteration of the boundaries thereof, become liable to paj" a 
tax in any other district, if such i3erson cannot agree with 
the district, such abatement of the tax may be made as the 
school committee, or in case of a district composed from 
different towns, as the commissioner of public schools, may 
deem just and proper. 

Schoolhouse g^c. 7. "Whenever a ioint district shall vote to build or 

taxes and '' 

jouiTdfstrict. repair a schoolhouse by tax, the amount of the tax and the 

ow appi T . pi^^ ^^^ specifications of the building and repairs shall be 

approved bj^ the school committees of the several towns, or, 

in case of their disagreement, by the commissioner of public 

schools. 

taxirin joint^^ ^^c. 8. In case of assessing a tax by a joint or associate 
districts!^ ^ district, if the town assessments be made on different princi- 
ples; or the relative value be not the sanie, the relative value 
and proportion shall be ascertained by one or more persons, 
to be appointed bj' the commissioner of public schools, and 
the assessment shall be made accordingly. 



Chap. 59.] TRUSTEES OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS. 51 

CHAPTER 59. 

Of the Trustees of School Districts. 



Section 

1. Trustees to have charge of the 

school property, and to employ 
teachers. 

2. To provide school facilities, visit the 

schools, and report. 
.3. To furnish bookcases. 

4. To make out tax hills and issue tax 

warrants. 

5. To make returns to school com- 

mittee. 

6. The trustees to receive no compen- 



Section 

satiou out of the school moneys 
for their services. 

7. May admit scholars from without 
the town or state, when. 

S. School committee, similarly em- 
powered, if town is not divided 
into districts. 

9. Disposition of money received for 

tuition. 
10. Attendance of scholars from with- 
out the district, where reckoned'. 



Section 1. The trustees of scliool districts shall have the havfcareof 

custody of the schoolhouse and other district property, and property, and 

shall employ one or more qualified teachers for every fifty teachers. 
scholars in averag-e daily attendance. 

Sec. 2. The trustees shall provide schoolrooms and fuel, schoof™*^ 
and shall visit the schools twice at least durino' each term, the schools 

and report. 

and notify the committee or superintendent of the time of 
opening" and closing' the schools. 

Sec. 3. The trustees shall provide a suitable cabinet or bookcases 
bookcase in each schoolroom, for the reception and care of 
such text-books and school supplies as may be furnished by 
the school committee. 

Sec. 4. The trustees shall make out the tax bill against tax'bms! and 
the persons liable to pay the same, and deliver the same to warrants. 
the collector with a warrant by them signed annexed thereto, 
requiring him to collect and pay over the same to the 
treasurer of the district. 

Sec. 5. The trustees shall make returns to the school ^li^nstothe 
committee in manner and form prescribed by them or by the committee. 
commissioner, or as may be required by law, and perform all 



52 



LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 59. 



other lawful acts required of them by the district, or neces- 
sary to carry into full effect the powers and duties of dis- 
tricts. 

To receive no g^c, Q^ The trustees shall receive no compensation for 

compensation ■■- 

schocfi moneys, services out of the money received from either the state or 
town appropriations, nor in any way, unless raised by tax by 
the district. 



May admit 
scholars from 
without town 
or state, when. 



Sa7ne subject : 
School com- 
mittee may. 
when. 



Tuition money, 
how to be 
applied. 



Such attend- 
ance to be 
reckoned, 
where. 



Sec. 7. The trustees of any school district may allow 
scholars from without the town or the state to attend the 
public schools of such district, on such terms as the trustees 
may determine: Provided, that such terms shall be ap- 
proved by the school committee. 

Sec. 8. Whenever a town shall not be divided into school 
districts, or whenever public schools shall be provided with- 
out reference to such division, the school committee may 
exercise the powers provided in the jjreceding section to be 
exercised by trustees. 

Sec. 9. All moneys received for tuition as hereinbefore 
provided shall be paid into the district or town treasurj", as 
the case ma}' be, and shall be used for school purposes only. 

Sec. 10. No attendance upon the public schools authorized 
bj^ the preceding three sections shall be reckoned in determin- 
ing- the average attendance for the pur]30se of regulating the 
distribution of school monej^ ; but such average attendance 
shall be returned to the district where such scholars reside, 
and be there reckoned with the average attendance of the 
schools of that district, upon demand bv the trustee thereof. 



Chap. 60.] POWERS and duties of school committees. 

CHAPTER 60. 

Of the Powers and Duties of School Cornrnittees. 



Section 

1. Chairman and clerk, how choseu 
and removed. 

2. Stated meetings, wlien lield. 

3. Committee may alter and discon- 
tinue districts. 

4. To locate all sohoolhouses. 
Land for schoolhouse sites, if taken 

without owners" consent, how 

appraised. 
Owner of land may petition for 

relief. 
Instruction to be given in pliysi- 

ology and hygiene. 
Committee to examine teachers ; 

and to annul certificates, when. 
To visit schools, when and how 

often. 
To make rules and regulations for 

schools. 
May authorize children to attend 

school in adjoining town or 

district. 



5. 



7. 



10. 



11. 



Section 

12. May suspend pupils. 

13. Committee to manage schools, if 

town is not divided into districts. 

14. Apportionment of the town's share 

of the state school money to the 
districts. 

15. Notice of apportionments to be 

given to trustees. 
16—18. Orders on town treasurer, la 
what cases and on what condi- 
tions to be given. 

19. Money forfeited or unexpended, to 

be divided. 

20. Annual report of school.committee. 

21. Expense of printing report, how to 

be paid. 
23. School committee to furnish books 

and supplies. 
2.3. Change in school books, how made. 



53 



Section 1. The scliool committee of each town shall f^hoof *^"^^ 
choose a chairman and clerk, either of whom may sign any *^°'^°'^ ®®- 
orders or official papers, and may be removed at the pleasure 
of said committee. 

Sec. 2. The school committee of each town shall hold at Meetings of 

the school 

least four regular meetings in every year, at such time and committee. 
place within the town as the committee shall by general 
order fix and determine. 

Sec. 3. The school committee maj' alter and discontinue committee 

may vary 

school districts, and shall settle their boundaries when unde- school districts 

atter notice 

fined or disputed ; but no change shall be made in the *^'^^^^ ^^^®^- 
boundaries of any district except at a meeting, notice of 
wdiich, with the proposed changes, has been posted upon the 
schoolhouses and sent to the trustees of the districts whose 
boundaries are liable to be affected, for at least five days be- 



54 



LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 60. 



Hestriciion on 
the formation 
of Dew district. 



fore lioldiug' the same ; and no new district shall be formed 
^dtli less than forty children between the ages of four and 
sixteen, unless with the approbation of the commissioner of 
public schools ; and the clerk of the committee shall transmit 
to the town clerk a certified copy of all votes affecting the 
boundary lines of the districts immediately on the jDassage 
thereof. 



Location of 
the school- 
hoiases. 



Sec. 4. The school committee shall locate all schoolhouses, 
and shall not abandon or change the location of any without 
good cause. 



Land for a' 
schoolhouse 
site, taken 
without 
owners' con- 
sent, is how 
appraised. 



Persons 
aggrieved may 
petition for 
relief to 
common pleas 
division. 



Sec. 5. In case the school committee shall fix upon a 
location for a schoolhouse in any town or district, or shall 
determine that the schoolhouse lot ought to be enlarged, and 
the town or district shall have passed a vote to erect a school- 
house, or to enlarge the schoolhouse lot, and the committee 
shall fix upon a location for a schoolhouse, and the proprietor 
of the land shall refuse to convey the same, or cannot agree 
with the town or district for the price thereof, the school 
^committee of their own motion, or on application of the town 
or district, may appoint three disinterested persons, who 
shall notify the parties and decide upon the valuation of the 
land ; and upon the tender or payment of the sum so fixed 
on, to the proprietor, the title to the land so fixed on by the 
school committee, not exceeding one acre, shall vest in the 
town or district for the purpose of maintaining thereon a 
schoolhouse and the necessary appendages thereof. 

Sec. 6. Any person aggrieved thereby may, within six 
months after any tender as aforesaid (but not after any paj"- 
ment as aforesaid), petition the common pleas division of the 
supreme court in the county for such relief in the premises, 
by way of damages or otherwise, as to law and justice shall 
appertain, in the manner and with the same procedure pre- 
scribed in sections fifteen and sixteen of chapter forty-six 



Chap. 60.] POAVEES AND DUTIES OF SCHOOL COMMITTEES. 55 

in the case of petition for relief for over-assessment for 
taxes. 

Sec. 7. The school committees of the several towns shall instruction in^ 
make provision for the instruction of the pupils in all schools ''ysiene. 
supported wholly, or in part, by public monej^, in physiology 
and hygiene, with special reference to the effects of alcoholic 
liquors, stimulants and narcotics upon the human system. 

Sec. 8. The school committee may examine, bj" them- committee to 

examine 

selves or by some one or more persons by them appointed, teachers ; to 
every applicant for the situation of teacher in the public wi'en''*'^*^' 
schools of the town, and may, after five daj's' notice in writ- 
ing, annul the certificate of such as upon examination by 
them proved unqualified, or will not conform to the regula- 
tions of the committee, and in such case shall give immediate 
notice thereof to the trustee of the district in which such 
teacher is emploj'-ed. {See Chap. 51i.J+^ Sec. 9-12., Pah. Laws.) 

Sec. 9. The school committee shall visit, bv one or more To visit the 

schools. 

of their number, every public school in the town at least 
twice during each term, once within two weeks of its opening- 
and once within two weeks of its close ; at which visits tliej^ 
shall examine the register and matters touching the school- 
house, library, studies, books, discipline, modes of teaching 
and improvement of the school. 

Sec. 10. The school committee shall make and cause to be To make rules 

for the 

put up in each schoolhouse, rules and regulations for the at- schools. 
tendance and classification of the pupils, for the introduction 
and use of text-books and works of reference, and for the 
instruction, government and discipline of the public schools, 
and shall prescribe the studies to be pursued therein, under 
the direction of the commissioner of public schools. 

Sec. 11. Whenever the school committee of any town 
shall find that it is more convenient or expedient for any 



56 



LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 60. 



May aatnorize 
children to 
attend school 
in adioining 
town or 
district. 
See section 18. 



May STispersd 
pupils. 



Tc manage 
schools, ■when. 



Apportion- 
ment of the 
state school 
money to the 
districts. 



Minimnm of 
money tc each 
school. 



Apportion- 
ment, when to 
be made, and 
what notice 
giver. 



child residing in said town to attend school in an adjoining- 
town or district, said committee may arrange with the school 
authorities of such town or district for the attendance of such 
child at their schools, and may pay for such tuition out of the 
toAvn appropriation for public schools. The amount so paid 
shall be used for school purposes only. {See Chap. oJ^J^, Sec.' 
o. Pub. Laws.) ' 

Sec. 12. The school committee may suspend during pleas- 
ure all pupils found guilty of incorrigibly bad conduct or of' 
violation of the school regulations. j 

Sec. 13. Where a town is not divided into districts, or 
shall vote in a meeting duly notified for that purpose to pro- i 
vide schools without reference to such division, the school 
committee shall manage and regulate said schools, and draw 
all orders for the payment of their expenses. 

Sec. 14. Whenever the public schools are maintained by 
district organization, the committee shall apportion among 
the districts, equally, according to the number of schools 
maintained in each, the whole of the town's proportion of 
the one hundred and twenty thousand dollars received from 
the state, and in addition thereto at least one fourth as much 
more from the town appropriation for the support of public 
schools ; the remainder of the town appropriation, and the 
moneys received from poll and dog taxes, from school funds, 
and from other sources, shall be divided into two equal parts, 
one part to be apportioned to the several districts, according 
to the average attendance of the schools therein, for the year 
preceding ; the other part to be apportioned at the discretion 
of the committee : Provided ahoays, that the total apportion- 
ment for each school shall not be less than one hundred and 
eight}^ dollars. 

Sec. 15. The school committee shall make the apportion- 
ment among the several districts as provided in the preceding 
section on or before the first Monday of July in each year, 



Oliap, 60.] POWERS AND DUTIES OF SCHOOL COMMITTEES. 57 

and immediately thereafter give notice to the trustees of the 
amount so apportioned to each district. 

Sec. 16. The school committee shall draw an order on the orders on the 

town treasurer 

town treasurer in favor of such districts onl}^ as shall have disStets, when 

^ J. J. i_i • IP . 1 T 1 to be drawn by 

made a return to them in manner and lorm prescribed by the school 

.. i<iTii ^ committee. 

iliem or by the commissioner of public schools, or as may be 
required by law, from which it shall appear that for the year 
ending- on the first day of May previous one or more public 
schools have been kept for at least six months by a qualified 
teacher in a schoolhouse approved by the committee or com- 
missioner, that the money designated "teachers' money," 
received the year previous, has been applied to the wages of 
ieachers and to no other purpose, and that the register 
properly kept has been deposited with the committee or with 
some person by them appointed to receive the same. 

Sec. 17. Such orders may be made payable to the trustees To whom 

. , ... . " payable. 

or their order, or to the district treasurer, or teacher ; and if 
the treasurer receive the money, he shall pay it out to the 
order of the trustees. 

Sec. 18. The school committee shall give no such order, orders, when 

to be drawn. 

until they are satisfied that the services have actually been school 

J J -^^^j-i. (committee 

performed for which the money is to be paid ; and they shall SoHn*'"'^ 

1 . ,1 J i T p IT certain cases. 

have power, m case the average attendance oi any school gee section it. 
ialls below five, to suspend said school in their discretion and 
to make such other provisions as the}'- may deem best for the 
attendance of the children, properlj^ belonging to said school, 
upon some other public school ; but such suspension shall 
not work the forfeiture of the public money to any district 
provided for by section sixteen of this chapter. The school 
committee may allow scholars residing in one district to 
attend school in any other district. {See Chap. 5If.!f., Sees. 1, 
7, 8, Pub. Laws.) 

Sec. 19. At the end of the school year, any money ap- 

8 



58 



LAWS PEKTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 60. 



Money f or- 
feited or un- 
expended, to 
be divided. 



Annuai report 
of the school 
comDjittee. 



Printing 
report, how 
paid for. 



Schooj 

committee ic 
furnish books 
and svipplies. 



Change in the 
school books 
how made. 



propriated to auy district which shall be forfeited and th& 
forfeiture not remitted, or which shall remain unexpended^ 
shall be divided by the committee among the districts the 
following- year. 

Sec. 20. The school committee shall prepare and submit 
annually to the commissioner of public schools, on or before 
the first day of July, a report in manner and form by him 
prescribed ; and until such report is made to the commis- 
sioner, he may refuse to draw his order for the money in the 
state treasury belonging to such town : Provided, that the 
necessary blank for said report has been furnished by the 
commissioner on or before the first day of May next pre- 
ceding ; they shall also prepare and submit annually, at the 
annual town meeting, a report to thetown^ setting forth their 
doings, the state and condition of the schools and plans for 
their improvement, which report, unless printed, shall be 
read in open tow^n meeting ; and if ]3rinted, at least three 
copies shall be transmitted to the commissioner on or before 
the first day of July in each year. 

Sec. 21. The school committee may reserve annually out 
of the public appropriation, a sum not exceeding forty dollars- 
to defray the expense of printing their annual report. 

Sec. 22. The school committee of every city and tow^n 
shall purchase, at the expense of such city or town, text- 
books and other school supplies used in the public schools • 
and said text-books and supplies shall be loaned to the 
pupils of said public schools free of charge, subject to such 
rules and regulations as to care and custody as the school 
committee may prescribe. 

Sec. 23. A change may be made in the school books in 
the public schools of any town by a vote of two-thirds of the 
whole school committee ; and in the city of Providence by a 
vote of a majority of all the members elected to the school 



•Chap. 61.] TEACHERS. 59 

committee, uotice of the proposed change having- been given 
in writing at a previous regular meeting of said committee : 
Provided, that no change be made in any text-book in the 
pubhc schools of any town oftener than once in three years, 
unless by the consent of the board of education. 



CHAPTER 61. 



Of Teaehers. 



Section 

1. Certificate of qualification required. 

2. Certificate valid for liow long. 

3. Qualifications of teachers. 

4. When teachers may be dismissed. 



Section 

and certain records, and make re- 
port. 
6. School officers ineligible to teach in 
public schools. 



5. Teachers to keep register of scholars T. Moral instruction. 

Section 1. No person shall be employed by any trustee 

Certificate of 

to teach as principal or assistant in any school supported qualification 

^ ^ " ^ '- i-equired. 

entirely or in part by the public money, unless he shall have 
a certificate of qualification signed either by the school com- 
mittee of the town, or by some person appointed by said 
committee, or by the trustees of the normal school. {See 
Chap. oJfJi-, Sec. 9, Fuh. Laws.) 

Sec. 2. Such certificate, unless annulled, if signed by the Howiona: 
school committee, shall be valid within the town for one year ^^ ' ' 
or for such portion thereof as shall be specified in said cer- 
tificate. {See Chax). o^Jf, Sec. 9, Pah. Laws.) 

Sec. 3. The school committee shall not sign any certifi- Qualification 
cate of qualification unless the person named in the same teachers. 
shall produce evidence of g'ood moral character and be 
found on examination qualified to teach the various branches 
required to be taught in the school. {See Chap. 544; Sec. 9, 
Pub. Laws.) 

Sec. 4. The school committee of any town mav, on reason- Teachers may 

^ - be dismissed, 

able notice and a hearing of such teacher, dismiss any ^'^®^- 
teacher for refusal to conform to the regulations bv them 



60 



LAAVS PEETAINING TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 62, 



Teachers to 
keep a register 
of scholars, 
and certain 
records, and 
make repoi-t. 



School ofiicers 
are ineligible 
to teach in 
pablic schools. 



Moral 
instniction. 



made, or for other just cause ; and in such case shall give 
immediate notice to the trustees of the district. 

Sec. 5. Every teacher in any public school shall keep a 
register of the names of all the scholars attending said 
school, their sex, age, names of parents or guardians, the 
time when each scholar enters and leaves the school, the 
daily attendance, together with the days of the month on 
which the school is visited by any officer connected with 
public schools, and shall prepare the return of the district to 
the school committee of the town. 

Sec. 6. No superintendent of schools or member of the 
school committee of any town, or trustee of any school dis- 
trict, shall, so long as he continues in said office of superin- 
tendent, member of the school committee or trustee of school 
district, be eligible or employed to teach as principal or 
assistant in any school supported entirely or in part by the 
public money, within the town where said superintendent^ 
member of the school committee or trustee resides. {See 
Chap. 620, Pub. Laws.) 

Sec. 7. Every teacher shall aim to implant and cultivate 
in the minds of all children committed to his care the prin- 
ciples of morality and virtue. 



CHAPTER 62. 



Of Legal Proceedings Pelating to Public Schools. 



Appeals from decisions relating to 
public schools, to whom made ; 
duty of commissioner to hear and 
decide. 

Statement of facts may be presented 
to justice of supreme court. 

Appeals, rules of to be prescribed 
by commissioner. 

Matters in dispute may be submit- 
ted to commissioner by agree- 
ment. 

Votes ordering district taxes, final 
unless appealed from. 



Section 

6. Costs, in what cases not to be 

taxed against school officers. 

7. Suit against district may be 

answered by inhabitant or tax- 
payer. 

8. 9. Judgment against school district, 

how satisfied. 

10. Process against school district, 

how to be served. 

11. Record of clerk of district is prima 

facie evidence, 

12. Commissioner may remit certain. 

fines, penalties and forfeitures. 



Chap. 62.] LEGAL PROCEEDINGS RELATING TO SCHOOLS. 61 

Section 1. Any person aggrieved by any decision or Appeals to 
doings of any school committee, district meeting, trustees, or commissioner. 
in any other matter arising under this title, may appeal to 
the commissioner of public schools who, after notice to the 
party interested of the time and place of hearing, shall ex- 
amine and decide the same without cost to the parties : Pfo- 
vided, that nothing contained in this section shall be so 
construed as to deprive such aggrieved party of any legal 
remedy. > 



Sec. 2. The commissioner of public schools may, and if ^ifpreme'co^irt, 
requested on hearing such appeal by either party shall, lay 
a statement of the facts of the case before one of the justices 
of the supreme court, whose decision shall be Unal. 

Sec. 3. The commissioner of public schools may from Rules of 
time to time prescribe rules regulating the time and manner 
of taking such appeals, and rules to prevent appeals for 
triflins' and frivolous causes. 



Sec. 4. Parties having any matter of dispute between submission to 

o J J. commissioner 

them arising under this title, may agree in writing to submit to ble^n^.^'^*' 
the same to the adjudication of said commissioner, and his 
decision therein shall be final. ■ 

Sec. 5. If no appeal be taken from a vote of a district S^'^lg^n*^®""^ 
relating to the ordering of a tax, or from the proceedings of if norappeaied 

from. 

the officers of the district m assessing the same, or it, on 
appeal, such proceedings are confirmed, the same shall not 
again be questioned before any court of law or magistrate 
whatsoever : Provided, that this section shall not be so con- 
strued as to dispense with legal notice of the meeting, or with 
the approval of the votes or proceedings by the school com- 
mittee or commissioner of public schools, whenever the same 
is required by law. 

Sec. 6. In any civil suit before any court against any 



62 



LAAYS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. 



[Chap. 62. 



Costs not 
taxed, when. 



scliool officer for any uiatter which mig-ht by this chapter 
have been heard and decided by the commissioner of public 
schools, no costs shall be taxed for the plaintiff if the court 
are of opinion that such officer acted in good faith. 



Sec. 7. Any inhabitant of a district, or person hable to 



Judgment 
against a 
school district, 
bow to be 
satisfied. 



Suit against 

district may be 

answered by i. i.i - i n i i j. j. 

resident or tax- pay taxes therein, may be allowed by any court to answer a 

paver. ." "■ . ' " . . . 

suit brought therein against the distnct, on giving security 
for costs, insuch manner as the court may direct. 

Sec. 8. Whenever judgment shall be recovered in any 
court of record against any school distnct the court render- 
ing judgment shall order a warrant to be issued, if no pro- 
ceedings operating as a stay be taken, to the assessors of 
taxes of the town in which such district is situated, or, in 
case of a joint district composed of parts of towns, then to 
one or more of the assessors of each town, with or mthout 
designating them, requiring them to assess upon the ratable 
l^roperty in said district a tax sufficient to pay the debts or 
damages, costs, interest and a sum in the discretion of the 
court sufficient to defray the expenses of assessment and 
collection. Said assessors shall, without a new engagement, 
proceed to assess the same, giving notice as in case of other 
district taxes. 

Same subject. gj,(-,_ q. Said warrant shall also contain a direction to the 
collector of the town, or, in case of a joint district, then to the 
collector of either town, as the court may direct, requiring 
him to collect said tax ; and said warrant, with the assessment 
annexed thereto, shall be a sufficient authority for the col- 
lector, without a special engagement, to proceed and collect 
the same with the same power as in the case of a town tax ; 
and when collected, he shall pay over the same to the parties 
to whom it maj' belong, and the surplus, if any, to the district. 
And the court may require a bond of the collector. 



Sec. 10. Whenever any writ, summons or other process 



Chap. 63.] NORMAL SCHOOL, INSTITUTES AND LECTURES, 



63 



shall issue ag-ainst any school district in any civil suit, the Process against 
3ame may be served on the treasurer or clerk ; and if there served. 
are no such officers to be found, the officer charged with the 
same may post up a certified copy thereof on the door of the 
schoolhouse, and, if there be no schoolhouse, then in some 
public place in the district, and the same, when proved to the 
satisfaction of the court, shall constitute a sufficient service 
thereof. 

Sec. 11. The record of the district clerk that a meeting Record of 

■ clerk, prima 

has been duly or legally notified shall be prima facie evidence f^cie evidence. 
that it has been notified as the law requires. The clerk shall 
obtain at the expense of the district a suitably bound book 
for keeping the record therein. 

Sec 12. The commissioner of public schools may, by and Sone?may 
with the advice and consent of the board of education, remit ^^n.^°^^' 
all fines, penalties and forfeitures incurred by any town, dis- 
trict or person, under any of the provisions of this title, ex- 
cept the forfeiture incurred by any town for not raising its 
proportion of money. 



CHAPTER 63. 



Of the Normal School, Teachers Institates and Lectures. 



Section 



Normal school, management of. 
Qualification of applicants for 

tuition. 
Diploma, who to receive. 
Trustees to examine applicants to 
teach. 

When may pay travelling expenses 
of pupils. 



Section 

6. Teachers' institutes, and educa- 

tional publications, etc., appro- 
priation for. 

7. Commissioner of public schools to 

account to state auditor for ex- 
penditures. 



Section 1. The normal school shall be under the manage- Normal school, 

how to be 

ment of the board of education and the commissioner ot managed. 



public schools as a board of trustees. 



€4 



LA"\YS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 63. 



Qualification 
for free tuition. 



Diplomas to 
^vhom. 



Examination, 
and 

certificate of 
qualification to 
teach. 



Travelling 
expenses of 
pupils to be 
paid in what 
cases. 



Appropriation 
for institutes 
and lectures. 



Sec. 2. All applicants from the several towns in the state 
shall be admitted to free tuition in said school, after having 
passed such an examination as may be prescribed by the 
board of trustees, and after having given to such board satis- 
factory evidence of their intention to teach in the public 
schools of this state for at least one year after leaving- the 
said school. 

Sec. 3. Persons who shall have ]3assed the regular course 
of studies at the normal school shall, on the written recom- 
mendation of the principal, receive a diploma signed by the 
trustees of the school. 

Sec. 4. The said trustees may, by themselves or by a com- 
mittee of their board, examine all applicants to teach in the 
public schools, and shall give certificates to such as are found. 
Ciualified to teach school. (See Chap. 51^]^, Sec. 9- 12, Pub, 
Laics.) 

Sec. 5. The trustees of the normal school may pay to 
each pupil who shall reside within the state and not within 
five miles of said school, who shall have been duly admitted 
thereto, and who shall have attended the regular sessions of 
said school and complied with the regulations thereof during 
the term next preceding such paj-ments, not exceeding ten 
dollars for each cpiarter year for travelling expenses; but 
such payments in the aggregate for such travelling expenses 
shall not exceed the sum of fifteen hundred dollars in any 
one year, and shall be made to the respective pupils entitled 
to the same in proportion to the distance they may reside 
from said school. (See Chap. 4-19, Pah. Laws ) 

Sec. 6. A sum not exceeding five hundred dollars shall be = 
annually paid for defraying the necessary expenses and I 
charges for teachers and lecturers for teachers' institutes, to ^| 
be holden under the direction of the commissioner of public 
schools ; and a sum not exceeding three hundred dollars 
shall be annually paid under the direction of the board of 



Oliap. 64.] ATTENDANCE OF CHILDREN IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 



65 



education for publishing- and distributing- among the several 
towns educational publications, providing lectures on educa- 
tional topics and otherwise promoting the interests of educa- 
tion in the state. 

Sec. 7. The commissioner of public schools shall render Annual ac- 
count of com- 

an annual account to the state auditor of his expenditures ^JbUc'schoois 
under the provisions of this chapter with his vouchers there- 
for. 



CHAPTER 64. 



Of Truant Children, and of the Attendance of Children in 
the Puhlic Schools. 



Section 

1. Attendance at day schools required. 

2. Private school may be approved. 

3. Truant officers, and their appoint- 

ment, duties and fees. 

4. Inquiry to be made into causes of 

neglect to attend school. 

Employment of children between 

twelve and fifteen years of age 

forbidden, when, unless, etc. 

Penalty. 

Duties of truant officers, as to 

children employed. 



5-7. 



Section 

10. Penalty for employment of children 

unable to read or write, when. 

11. Ordinances to be made concerning 

truancy and idle children. 

12. 13. Commitment and discharge of 

minors convicted under such 
ordinances. 

14. School committee to report of 

action of town under this chapter. 

15. Fines, how to inure. 

16. Jurisdiction of district court. 

17. Officers need not give surety for 

costs. 



Section 1. Every person having under his control a child ^j^^Jf ""^P *° ^*' 
between the ages of seven and fifteen years shall annually tfmefn eaSi'^* 
cause such child to regularly attend for at least eighty full ^^^^' 
school days some public day school in the town or city in 
which such child resides ; and while such child is not law- 
fully employed to labor at home or elsewhere said person 
shall cause such child to attend a public day school reg-ularly 
during the days and hours that the public schools are in 
session in the city, town, or district where such child resides ; 
and for every neglect of such duty the person so offending- penalty, ex- 
shall be fined not exceeding twenty dollars : Pi'ovided, that causes. 



66 LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Cliap. 64. 

if the person so charged shall prove, or shall present a cer-, 
tificate, made by or under the direction of the school com-: 
mittee of the city or town wherein he resides, setting forth 
that the child has attended for the required period of time a. 
private day school approved by the school committee of the 
city or town where said school is located, or that the child 
has been otherwise furnished for a like period of time with 
the means of education, or has already acquired the elemen- 
tary branches of learning taught in the public schools, or 
that his physical or mental condition was such as to render 
his attendance inexpedient or impracticable, or that the child 
was destitute of clothing suitable for attending school and 
,^ that the person in charge of said child was unable to provide I 

such clothing, or that the child has been excused from at- ' 
tending school by the school committee of the city or town 
where he resides, then such penalty shall not be incurred. 
{See Chap. S87, Pub. Laws.) 
What private Sec. 2. For the purposes of this chapter the school com- 

schools may be 

approved. mittees of the several towns and cities shall approve a private 
school only when the teaching therein is in the English lan- 
guage and when they are satisfied that such teaching is thor- 
ough and efficient, and when the persons in charge of said 
school shall keep the record of the attendance of the pupils 
thereof upon the blanks provided by the state for such pur- 
pose and shall render to the school committee of the tow^n or 
city Avliere said school is located a detailed report of the at- 
tendance of any pupil for any specified time : Provided, that 
the request for such rei3ort is made in writing and sets forth 
that such pupil is suspected of irregular attendance or tru- 



Truant Sec. 3. The town council of each town, and the board of 

officers ; now 



ancy. 
Sec 

thei?^dutfes^"^^ aldermen of each city, shall annually appoint one or more 
special constables, and fix their compensation, who shall be 
truant officers and who shall, under the direction of the school 
committee, inquire into all cases arising under the provisions 



Chap. 64.] ATTENDANCE OF CHILDREN IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 67 

of this chapter, or under any ordinances made in pursuance 
thereof by the town or city by which such officers were ap- 
pointed, and shall alone be authorized, in case of violation 
of any of the provisions of this chapter, or of any such ordi- 
nances, to make complaint therefor ; they shall also serve all 
legal processes issued in pursuance of this chapter or of any 
such ordinances, but shall not be entitled to receive any fees 
for such service : Provided, hoioever, that in case of the com- in what cases 

fees to be 

mitment of any person under the provisions of any section allowed. 
of this chapter, or of any ordinance made in pursuance there- 
of, or for default of payment of any fine and costs imposed 
thereunder, such officer shall be entitled to the regular fees 
allowed b}^ law for similar service. • . 

Sec. 4. The truant officers and the school committees of inquiry to be 

made into 

the several towns and cities shall inquire into all cases of negiect'fo at- 
neglect of the duty prescribed in section one of this chapter 
within their respective towns and cities, and ascertain the 
reasons, if any, therefor ; and such truant officers, or any of 
them, shall, when so directed bj^ the school committee, pros- 
ecute any person liable to the penalty provided for in said 
section one. 

Sec. 5. No child between the ages of twelve and fifteen Employment 

of any child 

years shall be employed in any manufacturing, mechanical j-'^^gYve^^^^^ 
or mercantile establishment, or by any telegraph ol' telephone age*^fs"forbid °^ 
■company in this state, except during the vacations of the unless, etc. 
public schools of the city, town or district in which such child se\ai°on i. ^^ ' 
resides, unless, during the twelve months next preceding such 
■employment, he shall have attended school as provided for 
in section one of this chapter, or shall have already acquired 
the elementary branches of learning taught in the public 
schools, or shall have been excused by the school committee 
of the town or city in which such child resides ; nor shall 
■such employment continue unless such child shall attend 
school as above provided each year, or until he shall have 



68 



LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 64. 



Employer to 
keep on file 
what 

certificate of 
children. 



acquired the elementary branches of learning taught in the 
public schools. 

Sec. 6. No child between the ages of twelve and fifteen 
years shall be so employed who does not present a certificate 
made by or ander the direction of the school committee of 
the city or town in which such child resides, of his compli- 
ance with the requirements of section five of this chapter ;. 
and said certificate shall also give the place and date of birth 
of such child as nearly accurate as may be ; and every owner, 
superintendent or overseer, of any establishment or company 
employing any such child shall keep such certificate on file 
so long as such child is employed therein. The form of said 
certificate shall be furnished by the secretary of the state 
board of education. 



Penalty on 
employer, 
parent or 
guardian. 



Sec. 7. Every owner, superintendent or overseer of any 
such establishment or company who emploj^s or permits to 
be emploj^ed any child in violation of either of the two next 
preceding sections, and everj^ parent or guardian who per- 
mits such employment, shall be fined not exceeding twenty 
dollars. 



Truant officers 
to visit places 
of employ- 
ment, and 
report. 



Sec. 8. The truant officers shall, at least once in every 
school term, and as often as the school committee require,, 
visit the establishments or companies employing such chil- 
dren in their respective towns and cities, and ascertain whether 
the provisions of the three next preceding sections hereof 
are duly observed, and report all violations thereof to the 
school committee. 



To demand 
names of 
children em- 
ployed and 
require 
certificates. 



Sec. 9. The truant officers shall demand the names of the 
children under fifteen years of age employed in such estab- 
lishments or companies in their respective towns and cities^ 
and shall require the certificates of age and school attendance, 
prescribed in section six of this chapter, to be produced for 



Oliap, 64.] ATTENDANCE OE CHILDREN IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 69 

their inspection; and a refusal to produce such certificates Penalty, 
shall be punished by a fine not exceeding- ten dollars. 

Sec. 10. Every owner, superintendent or overseer of any Penalty for 

•^ employing 

such establishment or company who employs or permits to ^Krea'd or 
be employed therein a child under fifteen years of age who «," mlbuc'^^ 

, . T , i- • 1 1 •! 1 schools are in 

cannot write his name, age and place oi residence legiDly, session. 
while the public schools in the town or city where such child 
lives are in session, shall for every such offence be fined not 
exceeding twenty dollars. 

Sec. 11. The town council of each town, and the city coun- [^Jj^^^^^^feon^ 
cil of each city, shall make all needful provisions and arrange- and"idfe*™^''*^ 
ments concerning habitual truants and children who may 
be found wandering about in the streets or public places 
therein, having no lawful occupation or business, not attend- 
ing school and growing up in ignorance, and shall make such 
ordinances as will be most conducive to the welfare of such 
children and to the good order of such town or city; and 
shall designate or provide suitable places for the confine- 
ment, discipline and instruction of such children. 

Sec. 12. Every minor convicted, under an ordinance made f/^J^^^^^ndfor 
under the provisions of section eleven of this chapter, of idic|^ess under 
being an habitual truant, or of wandering about in the streets 
and public places of a town or city, or of having no lawful 
employment or business, or of not attending school and of 
growing up in ignorance, shall be committed to any institu- 
tion of instruction or suitable place designated or provided 
for the purpose under the authority of said section eleven, 
for a period not exceeding two years. 

Sec. 13. Children so committed may, on satisfactory proof f^^°|jfj|®^^ 
of amendment or for other sufficient cause, be discharged ^'^^^ children. 
from such institution or place by the court which committed 
them. 



70 



LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. 



[Chap. 64. 



School com- 
mittee to re 



In cases of 
failure, school 
money is to be 
■n-ithheld. 



Sec. 14. The school committees of the several towns and 
chaptCT^^"^ ^^^^ cities shall annually report to the state board of education 
whether their towns or cities have made the provisions re- 
quired by this chapter; and in case the town council of 
any town, or the board of aldermen and citj^ council of any 
city, shall in any year refuse or neg-lect to comply with the 
provisions of section three and section eleven of this chapter, 
or of either of them, after having been duly notified by the 
commissioner of public schools, fifty per centum of the money 
apportioned to such city or town from the state for school 
purposes shall be T\ithheld until the provisions of said sec- 
tion three and section eleven of this chapter have been com- 
plied with. 



Fines, how to 
inure. 



Jurisdiction of 
district courts. 



Sec. 15. All fines under the provisions of this chapter 
shall inure and be applied to the support of the public schools 
in the town or city where the oftence was committed. 

Sec. 16. The district courts of the state shall have juris- 
diction in their respective districts of all cases arising under 
this chapter and all ordinances passed in conformity with 
this chapter. 



Officers com- g^c. 17. Xo oflicer Complaining under anv of the provis- 

plammg not i o .; i 

g?ve"^surety for ^°^® ^^ ^^^^ chapter, or uuder the provisions of any ordinance 
that may be passed in pursuance hereof, shall be required to 
give surety for costs ; and such oflicer shall not in anywise 
become liable for anj^ costs that may accrue on such com- 
plaint. 



Chap. 65.] GENERAL PE0VI8I0NS RELATING TO SCHOOLS. 



71 



CHAPTER 6; 



General Provisions Relating to Public Schools. 



Section 

1. Exclusion from school to be by 

general rule. 

2, 3. District ofBcers to be engaged in 

office ; record of district clerk is 
prima facie evidence. 

4. Tenure of office of such officers. 

5. Penalty for neglect of duties. 

6. School committee, board of educa- 

tion and commissioner may visit 
schools aided by the state. 

7. Penalty for refusing to permit such 

visitation. 

8. Nuisances near schoolhouse, pro- 

hibited. 

9. Construction of the word "town," 

as to the city of Providence. 



Section 

10. Public schools in city of Provi- 

dence, how governed. 

11. Taking of fees, etc., for promoting 

sale or exchange of school books, 
etc., prohibited. 

12. Offering of fees, etc., to public 

school ofScers for such purpose, 
prohibited. 

13. Children of deceased soldiers and 

sailors, when admitted free to 
public schools. 

14. Pupils not allowed to attend public 

schools without certificate of 
vaccination. 

15. Penalty for violation of provisions 

of this chapter. 

16. Special statutes prevail. 



Section 1. No person shall be excluded from any public Exclusion to be 

by general 

school in the district to which such person belongs, if the ^uie. 
town is divided into districts, or, if not so divided, from the 
nearest public school, on account of race or color, or for 
being- over fifteen years of age, nor except by force of some 
general regulation applicable to all persons under the same 
circumstances. 



Sec. 2. Every school district officer elected or appointed fchooM?steic*t^ 
under the provisions of this title, except the moderator of a ° ^^^^' 
district meeting, shall take an engagement, before some per- 
son authorized to administer oaths, to support the constitu- 
tion of the United States, the constitution and laws of this 
state, and faithfully to discharge the duties of his office so 
long as he shall continue therein. 

Sec. 3. The record of the district clerk that any school E^*^ence of 

«^ sucn engage- 

district officer has been duly engaged shall be prima facie '^^^^' 

evidence thereof; and no school district officer shall enter 

upon the duties of his office without taking an engagement. 



72 



LAAYS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Cliap. 65. 



Tenure of 
office of such 
officers. 



Penalty for 
neglect of 
duties. 



Schools aided 

by state 

to be visited. 



Penalty for 
refusal. 



Nuisances pro- 
hibited near 
schoolhouses. 



Sec. 4. Every school district officer elected or aiapointed 
under the provisions of this title shall, without a new engage- 
ment, hold his office until the time of the next annual election 
or appointment for such office and until his successor is 
elected or appointed and qualified. 

Sec. 5. Every officer who shall make any false certificate,] 
or appropriate any public school money to any purpose not 
authorized by law, or who shall refuse for a reasonable charge 
to give certified copies of any official paper, or to account 
for or deliver to his successor any accounts, papers or money! 
in his hands, or shall wilfully or knowingly refuse to perform I 
any duty of his office, or violate any provisions of any law 
regulating public schools, except where a x^articular penalty ( 
may be prescribed, shall be fined not exceeding five hundred | 
dollars or be imprisoned not exceeding six months, and shall I 
be liable to an action of the case for damages to be brought' 
by any person injured thereby. 1 

Sec. 6. Any school receiving aid from the state, either by 
direct grant or by exemption from taxation, may be visited 
and examined by the school committee of the town in which 
such school is situated, and by the members of the board of 
education and the commissioner of public schools, whenever 
they shall deem it advisable. 

Sec. 7. Whenever such school shall refuse to permit such 
visitation, when requested, its exemption from taxation shall 
thereafter cease and be determined. 

Sec. 8. No person shall keep any ST\dne in any pen or i 
other enclosure, or shall keep or suffer to be kept any other* 
nuisance, within one hundred feet of any schoolhouse or 
within one hundred feet of any fence enclosing the yal'd of 
any such schoolhouse. 



Sec. 9. In the construction of this title, except in the 



Chap. 65.] GENERAL, PEO VISIONS RELATING TO SCHOOLS. 73 

construction of chapter sixty-four, and sections six and seven construction 
of this chapter, and section twenty-three of chapter sixty, ^jg^f ^'^'^ 
the word " town " shall include the city of Providence only P^o^ic^^^ce- 
so far as to entitle said city to a distributive share in the 
public money, upon making a report to the commissioner in 
the same manner as the school committees of other towns 
are required to do. {See Chap. Ji-20, Pah. Laws.) 

Sec. 10. The public schools in said city shall continue, as 1°^°?^!^^^ 
heretofore, to be governed according to such ordinances and 
regulations as the proper city authorities may from time to 
time adopt. {See Chap. J^QO, Pah. Laws. 

Sec 11 No superintendent or school committee of any Fees, ot _ 

yjih\j, -LJ.. -i--<vy Kjui^^v^ ^ pecuniary in- 

town, or any person officially connected with the government g[|J^?o'"P" 
or direction of the public schools, shall receive any private school officers. 
fee, gratuity, donation or compensation in any manner what- 
soever for promoting the sale or the exchange of any school- 
book, map or chart in any public school, or be an agent for 
the sale or the publisher of any school text-book, or be di- 
rectly or indirectly pecuniarily interested in the introduction 
of any school text-book ; and any such agency or interest 
shall disqualify any person so acting or interested from hold- 
ing any school office whatsoever. 

Sec. 12. No person shall offer to any public school officer offering of 
any fee, commission or compensation whatsoever, as an in- prohibited. 
ducement to effect through such officer any sale or promo- 
tion of sale, or exchange, of any schoolbook, map, chart or 
school apparatus. 

Sec. 13. All the public schools in the state, including the ^'^^If^fsed''' 
State Normal School, shall be open to the children of officers salfors ad° 

- . - . mitted free, 

and soldiers -belonging to the state, mustered into the service wiien. 
of the United States, and of those persons belonging to the 
state, and serving in the navy of the United States, who 
died in said service during the late rebellion against the 



74 



LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 66. 



authority of the United States, or who were discharged from 
said serAdce in consequence of wounds or disease contracted 
in said service, or who were killed in battle, without any cost 
or expense for taxes or other charges imposed for purposes 
of public education. 



aiiowfito ^■^^- ^'^- -^^ person shall be permitted to attend any 

school wFthont public school in this state as a pupil, unless such person shall 
vaccination. furnish to the teacher of such school a certificate of some 
practicing physician that such person has been properly 
vaccinated as a protection from smallpox ; and every teacher 
in the public schools shall keep a record of the names of 
such pupils in their resjDective schools as have presented such 
certificate. 



Penalty for Sec. 15. Every person violating any provision of this 

violating this ./ j. = ./ i 

chapter. chapter shall be fined not exceeding fifty dollars or be im- 

prisoned not exceeding thirty days, unless herein otherwise 
provided. 



Special 
statutes to 
prevail. 



Sec. 16. The foregoing provisions of this title are subject 
to the provisions of any special statutes respecting schools, 
or the management of schools, in any particular town or 
cit}^, none of which are repealed hereby. 



CHAPTEPv 66. 



Of the lihode Island College of Agriculture and Mechanic 

Arts. 



Shctio:s' 

1. Continued a body corporate for 

what purposes. 

2. Location. To have moneys received 

from the United States. 



Section 

3. Board of managers ; term of ofiQce, 

vacancies, and residence. 

4. OflBcers of the board. 

5. Duties of offlcersfand teachers. 



Section 1. The present board of managers of the Rhode 
Island College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, and their 



Chap. 66.] COLLEGE or ageiculture and mechanic arts. 75 

'■ 
successors, for the terms for which they have been or for r.i. college ' 

of Agriculture 

which they hereafter may be appointed or elected as such and Mechanic 

Arts, IS to 

managers, shall continue to be a body politic and corporate body"'^^^ 
for the purpose of continuing- and maintaining said college °"'"p°'"^ ®- 
corporation as a college where the leading object shall be, Leadingobject. 
without excluding other scientific and classical studies, and 
including military tactics, to teach such branches of learning 
as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts, in order 
to promote the liberal and practical education of the indus- 
trial classes in the several pursuits and professions of life, as 
provided in the act of the Congress of the United States ap- 
proved July 2, 1862, entitled " An act donating public lands 
to the several states and territories which may provide col- 
leges for the benefit of agriculture and the mechanic arts," 
and for the purpose of continuing and maintaining an agri- 
cultural experiment station as a department of said college 
under and in accordance with, and to carry out the purposes 
of, the act of Congress approved March 2, 1887, entitled "An 
act to establish agricultural experiment stations in connec- Experiment 

station. 

tion with the colleges established in the several states under 
the provisions of an act approved July 2, 1862, and of the acts 
supplementary thereto," by the said name of " Rhode Island 
College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts," with all the 
powers and privileges, and subject to all the duties and lia- 
bilities set forth in chapter one hundred seventy-seven. 

Sec. 2. Said college and experiment station shall until Location. 
otherwise ordered continue to be located in the town of South 
Kingstown upon the estate now occupied by them, and all 
moneys hereafter received under said act of Congress ap- 
proved March 2, 1887, and under the act of Congress ap- to have the 
proved August 30, 1890, entitled, "An act to apply a portion S^^vedlrom 

United States. 

of the proceeds of the public lands to the more complete en- 
dowment and support of the colleges for the benefit of agri- 
culture and mechanic arts, established under the provisions 



76 



LAWS PEETAIXING TO EDUCATION. [Cliap. 66. 



Duty of 
managers and 
officers. 



of an act of Congress approvecl July 2, 1862," and all otlier 
moneys whicli shall be received by the state for the promo- 
tion of agriculture or the mechanic arts under or by virtue of 
any act of Congress, shall, as and when received, be paid over 
to the treasurer for the time being of said college corporation, 
to be used and applied and accounted for bj" the manag-ers and 
officers of said corporation for the time being, as required by 
the respective acts of Congress under which the same are re- 
ceived. And the managers and officers of said corporation 
shall perform all the duties, and make and publish, distribute 
and render all bulletins and reports required by said acts of 
Congress, or by any acts in amendment thereof or supple- 
mentary thereto ; and shall also report to the general assem- 
bly annually at its January session. 



Term of office 
and future 
appointment 
of managers. 



Vacancies. 



Future 
members. 



Sec. 3. The several members of said present board of 
managers of said college corporation shall continue to hold 
their respective offices during the terms for which they Avere 
last appointed and until their respective successors are qual- 
ified to act ; and upon the expiration of the term of office of 
that member of said board whose term shall expire next after 
the General Laws shall go into operation, and in everj^^ year 
thereafter, there shall be one member of said board appointed 
by the governor, with the advice and consent of the senate, 
for the term of five years and until his successor shall be 
qualified to act. In case of a vacancy in said board such va- 
cancy shall be filled, if the general assembly be in session, 
by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate, 
if not in session by the governor until the next session of the 
general assembly, when, as soon as maj- be, an appointment 
shall be made by the governor with the advice and consent 
of the senate, to fill such vacancy, and the person so" ap- 
pointed shall hold his office for the remainder of the unex- 
pired term. And every future member of said board shall 
be a domiciled inhabitant of the same county as was the re- 



Cliap. 66.] COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND MECHANIC ARTS. 77 

tiring member of the board whose place he is appointed to 
fill. 



Sec. 4. Said board of managers shall annually elect one Board of 

. .'" managers, 

of their own number to be president of the board, who shall officers of. 

also be the president of the corporation and shall continue 

in office until his successor is elected. They shall also from 

time to time appoint a treasurer and a clerk, who shall also 

be officers of the corporation, and who may be, but need not 

necessarilj' be, the same person or members of the board, 

and who shall hold their respective offices at the pleasure of 

the board. The treasurer before entering upon his office Treasurer to 

give bond. 

shall give bond to the state for the faithful discharge of his 
duties, in form to be approved by the attorney -general, in a 
penal sum to be fixed by the said board of managers and 
with surety or sureties to be approved by the governor ; such 
bond to be filed and to be kept on file in the office of the 
secretary of state, and which bond shall be renewed when- 
ever required by the board of managers or by the governor. 
And the treasurer shall make a full detailed report annually Treasurer to 

make an 

to the general assembly, at its January session, of all his re- annual report. 
ceipts and expenditures, properly audited by the board of 
managers or a committee thereof. 

Sec. 5. Said board of managers shall have the general ^"ftfypi-o? 
care and management of said estate in South Kingstown and ruies!and ap- 

£ ■ T -n 1 • L L L- 1 1 point a faculty. 

of said college and experiment station, and may employ 
professors, teachers and other persons in and about the same 
and prescribe their duties and fix their compensation, and 
from time to time make rules and regulations for their gov- 
ernment ; and may also make by-laws, rules, and regulations 
to govern their own meetings and proceedings. Said board studies! and 
of managers shall from time to time appoint the faculty of degrees and 

diplomas. 

said college ; and such faculty shall from time to time arrange 
the courses of study, conforming to said acts of congress in 
this behalf, and prescribe such qualifications for admission 



78 



LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 67. 



of students, and sucli rules of study, exercise, discipline, and 
government, as they shall deem proper ; they may also grant 
academical degrees and diplomas appropriate to the courses 
of study to those students of good moral character who shall 
have pursued the prescribed courses and passed satisfactory 
examinations. 



CHAPTER 67. 



Of State Beneficiaries at the Rhode Island School of Design. 



Section 

1. Appropriation for. 

2. Annual report. 

3. Ex-o£ficio directors. 



Section 
4, 5. State beneficiaries, and how ap- 
pointed. 
6. Tuition fees, how paid. 



for^the'K^"°'^ Section 1. Such sums as shall be from time to time ap- 
r)es?gii,°how propriated by the general assembly to the Rhode Island 
of board of Scliool of Design, shall be paid by the general treasurer 

education. 

upon the orders of the state board of education, who are 
hereby empowered and authorized to visit and examine said 
school at their pleasure. 

Annual report. ^ec. 2. The directors of the above-named school of design 
shall make an annul report to the state board of education 
in manner and form prescribed by said board of education. 



Ex-officio 
directors. 



Sec. 3. The state board of education are hereby author- 
ized and empowered to elect two of their number who, by 
virtue of said election, shall be members of the board of 
directors of said school of desiern. 



Qfltiie^^'^^ Sec. 4. The state board of education are hereby author- 
the R. I. School ized to appoint as state beneficiaries at the Rhode Island 

of Design. 

School of Design, persons of proper age, character and ac- 
quirements, who have not the means of defraying the ex- 
pense of instruction in said school themselves. 



Chap. 68.] 



FACTORY INSPECTION. 



79 



Sec. 5. The secretary of the board of education shall re- Appointments, 

how to be 

ceive and file in their order the applications of all persons ™ade. 
who desire to receive such appointment ; and in making- their 
appointments the board shall, as far as practicable, make 
them so that the people of the several counties may partici- 
pate in the advantages as nearly as possible in proportion to 
the respective populations of the counties according- to the 
last United States census. 

Sec. 6. The board of education are hereby authorized to Tmtion fees, 

howtobe paid. 

draw their orders on the general treasurer for the payment 
of the tuition fees of the beneficiaries appointed by them as 
above. 



CHAPTER 68. 



Of Factory Inspection. 



Section 

1, 2. Children under 12 years of age 
not to be employed in factories. 



Section 
3. Factory inspectors ; appointment, 
tenure of ofQce and duties. 



Section 1. No child under twelve years of age shall be children under 

° twelve years of 

employed in any factory, manufacturing or mercantile estab- empfo°yed* "^^ 

lishment, within this state. It shall be the duty of every ^^°^" 
person, firm or corporation employing children, to keep a 

register in which shall be recorded the name, birthplace, age Register of 

children under 

and place of residence of every person employed under the sixteen years 

age of sixteen years ; and said register shall be produced for ^^^^' 
inspection on demand by either of the inspectors appointed 
under this chapter. - 

Sec. 2. No person, firm or corporation employing less what deemed 

to be employ- 

than five persons who are women or children shall be deemed ment under 

^ this chapter. 

a factory, manufacturing or mercantile establishment within 
the meaning of this chapter. 



80 



LAAYS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. 



[Chap. 68. 



Eemovalfrom sUCCeSSOIS sliall QUalifv 

office, and -^ ■^ 



vacancies. 



Duties of 
inspectors. 



I^^^?n.^\r.^r Sec. 3. The o-overuor shall, between the fifteenth and' 

spectors ; now ~ ^ ; 

term'oroffice.*^ thu'tieth clays of June, in the j^ear eighteen hundred ninety-;- 
seven, and between the fifteenth and thirtieth days of June 
in every third year thereafter, appoint two factory inspectors, 
one of whom shall be a woman, whose term of office shall be! 
three years from date of their appointment and until their 

They shall at all times be subject 
to removal by the governor for neglect of duty or malfeasance 
in the discharge of duty; and in case of removal as afore- 1 
said, or of vacancies in said offices from any cause, the gov- !■ 
ernor shall appoint successors to fill such vacancies for the 
unexpired term of said office. The said inspectors shall be 
empowered to visit and inspect, at all reasonable hours, and 
as often as practicable, the factories, workshops and other 
establishments in the state employing women or children, ; 
and shall report to the general assembly of this state at its 
January session in each year, including in said report the 
names of the factories, the number of such hands employed, 
and the number of hours' work performed each week. It 
shall also be the duty of said inspectors to enforce the pro- 
visions of this chapter, and to prosecute all violations of the 
same before any court of competent jurisdiction in the state. 
The said inspectors shall devote their whole time and atten- 
tion to the duties of their respective offices. In case of any 
conflict of authority between the said inspectors, either of 
them may apply for instructions to the governor, whose de- 
cision of the controversy, after hearing the statement of each 
inspector and making such further investigation of the 
circumstances as he may deem necessary, shall be final. 



Chap. 85.] DEAF, BLIND, AND IMBECILE CHILDEEN. 



81 



CHAPTER 85. 

Of Provision for the Education of Deaf, Blind, and Imbecile 

Children. 



Section 

1. State beneficiaries. 

2. Supervision, and annual report. 



Section 

3. Clothing, how furnished. 

4. Bills, how approved and paid. 



children as 

state 

beneficiaries. 



What limita- 
tions. 



Section 1. The governor, on recommendation of the state Deaf, blind, 

imbecile 

board of education, upon application of the parent or guar- 
dian, may appoint any deaf, blind or imbecile child, being 
a legal resident of this state, who shall appear to said board 
to be a fit subject for education, as a state beneficiary at any 
suitable institution or school now established, or that may be 
established, either within or without the state, for such period 
as he may determine : Provided, that no beneficiary shall re- 
ceive educational aid for a longer time than ten years ; and 
the governor shall have the power to revoke any such ap- 
pointment at any time for cause. {8ee Chapter 322, Public 
Laws.) 

Sec. 2. The board of education are hereby clothed with education to 
the duty and responsibility of supervising the education of vfslon.'^^^'^ 
all such beneficiaries, and no child appointed as above shall 
be withdrawn from any institution or school except with 
their consent, or the consent of the governor ; and said board Annual report. 
shall annually report to the general assembly their doings 
under this chapter, with such further information in relation 
to the several institutions at which these beneficiaries have 
been placed as may be deemed desirable. 

Sec. 3. The board of education may expend in the pur- clothing. 
chase of necessary clothing for such beneficiaries a sum not 
exceeding twenty dollars, in any calendar year, for a single 
child. 



Sec. 4. All bills arising under this chapter shall be ex- 



82 



LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 86. 



Bills, how- 
approved and 
paid. 



amined and approved by the board of education, and the 
state auditor is hereby authorized to draw his orders on the 
general treasurer for the payment thereof when properly 
certified by the secretary of the board and approved by the 
governor, and a sum not to exceed twelve thousand dollars, 
or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby annually ap- 
propriated therefor out of any money in the treasury not 
otherwise appropriated. 



CHAPTER 86. 

Of the Rhode Island Institute fo7' the Deaf. 



Section 

1. Management and control vested in 

trustees. 

2. Trustees, how appointed and term 

of office. 

3. Power of board of trustees to 

admit. 



Section 

4. Who may be admitted. Objects of 

the institute, and how managed. 

5. Trustees to report annually to 

general assembly. 

6. This chapter not affected by chapter 

51, sections 9, 10. and 11. 



E. I. Institute 
for the Deaf to 
be managed 
and controlled 
by trustees. 



Section 1. The governor and lieutenant-governor to- 
gether with nine citizens of this state, of whom six shall be 
men and three women, to be appointed as hereinafter pro- 
vided, shall constitute a board of trustees in whom shall be 
vested the management and control of a state institution for 
the instruction and maintenance of deaf children in accord- 
ance with the iDrovisions of this chapter. Such institution 
shall be known as the Bhode Island Institute for the Deaf. 



Trustees of. 
how appointed, 
and terms of 
office. 



Sec. 2. Said trustees, other than the governor and lieu- 
tenant-governor, shall be appointed by the governor; and 
said trustees now in ofiice shall continue to serve, in classes 
of three each, for and during the terms for which they were 
appointed, respectively ; and in the year eighteen hundred 
ninety-seven, and once in every two years thereafter, three 
trustees in the said board shall in the same manner be ap- 
pointed for a term of six years, to fill the places of those 



Chap. 86.] RHODE ISLAND INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF. 83 

whose terms shall have expired ; and vacancies which may- 
occur from death and resignation shall be filled by the 
governor for the Remainder of the unexpired term. The 
members of said board of trustees shall receive no compen- 
sation for their services. 

Sec. 3. The board of trustees may admit such persons Power of the 

■^ ^ board of 

therein as hereinafter is provided. {See Chapter 332, Public atoit^^ ^^ 
Laws.) 

Sec. 4. Deaf persons between the ages of three and twenty ^^it'fj^ ^® 
years, and of sufficient capacity for instruction, who are legal 
residents of the state, shall be entitled to the privilege of the 
school without charge, and for such period of time in each 
individual case as may be deemed expedient by the board of 
trustees ; residents of other states may be admitted upon the 
payment of such rates of board and tuition as may be fixed 
by the board of trustees. The primary object of the school fnstltutef 
shall be to furnish to the deaf children of this state, oral 
instruction, and the best known facilities for the enjoyment 
of such a share of the benefits of the system of free public 
education as their afflicted condition will admit of. The 
board of trustees shall have charge of the affairs of the in- 
stitution, with power to make such by-laws and regulations 
for the government thereof (not inconsistent with the pro- 
visions of this chapter) as they may deem expedient. They Management. 
shall elect frona their own number a president and secretary, 
together with such standing committees as they may deem 
necessary. They shall apJDoint a principal who shall be the 
chief executive officer of the institution, and shall have charge 
of the educational and internal affairs of the institution, and 
shall also, upon the nomination of the principal, appoint 
teachers and subordinate officers, prescribe the duties and 
terms of service of the same, and fix their salaries, and for 
just" cause remove any or all of them. They shall likewise 
employ the requisite number of servants and other assistants, 



84 



LAWS PEETAINING TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 87. 



Board of 
trustees are to 
report 
annually. 



This chapter is 
not affected by 
chapter 51. 
sections 9, 10 
and 11. 



and fix the wages of the same, and shall purchase all 
furniture, schoolbooks, school apparatus and other supplies 
necessary to the equipment and carrying-on such institution. 
{See Cliap. 5Jf5, Puh. Laios.) 

Sec. 5. The board of trustees shall annually in the month 
of January make a report to the general assembly, of the 
state and condition of the school, and a statement of all ex- 
penses incurred for salaries, maintenance, tuition and other 
items of current expense, together with an estimate of the 
amount of money necessary to meet the current expenses of 
the next year. 

Sec. 6. The i3rovisions of this chapter are not repealed, 
affected or modified by the provisions of sections nine, ten 
and eleven of chapter fifty-one. 



CHAPTER 87. 



Of the /State Home and School for Children. 



Seotiox. 
1-3. Board of control ; number, term 
of office, and how appointed. 

4. Secretary, duties and term of ofBce. 

5. Compensation to secretary only, but 

travelling expenses to all. 

6. Government of the school. 

7. What childen to be received ; 

what may be returned, -when, to 
authorities. 



Section 

8. Object of school, and duty of the 

board. 

9. Jurisdiction of probate courts. 
Board to keep a register of the 

children in the school. 
To make anuual report to board of 
education. 



10. 



11. 



Board of 
control. 



Number of 
board. 



Section 1. The control and maintenance of the state home 
and school for dependent and neglected children shall con- 
tinue to be vested in a board of control, to be called the 
" board of control of the state home and school." Said school 
shall be known as the State Home and School for Children. 

Sec. 2. The said board shall consist of seven persons, 
four of whom shall be men and three women, and, in addition, 
of such person as may be secretary of said board. The 



3hap. 87.] STATE HOME AND SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN. 85 

Iterms of office of the members of said board shall begin on Terms of office. 
the first day of July. 

Sec. 3. The governor, by and with the advice and consent EJI^iQted 
of the senate, shall appoint the members of said board, other 
than the secretary ; and he shall annually, upon the expira- 
tion of the term of office of any of said board, appoint 
persons to such office in place of those whose terms shall ex- 
pire, and every person so appointed shall hold his office for 
three years, unless sooner removed. Every appointment to 
fill a vacancy shall be for the remainder of the term. 

Sec. 4. Said board may appoint a secretary, who shall by If^^fg^g^l^J^i 
virtue of his office be a member of the board ; he shall give ^"^^ °^ ''^°^- 
bond to the state in such sum as the board may require, for , 
the faithful performance of his duties ; he shall keep a record 
of all the doings of said board, and shall perform such other 
duties as may be. by them required. Such secretary shall 
hold his office during the pleasure of the board. 

Sec. 5. No member of the board, except the secretary, ^o^^^hPlgofetar 
shall receive any compensation for his services, but every eiung^exVen^sIs 
member shall be paid out of the state treasury his necessary 
travelling expenses. 

Sec. 6. The said board shall establish a system of govern- ^f/|^g^f^* ^^ 
ment for the institution, and shall make all necessary rules 
and regulations for imparting instruction, and for the proper 
training of the children. They shall appoint such officers, 
teachers and employees as shall be necessary, and prescribe 
their duties and fix their salaries. 

Sec. 7. Thev shall receive, in accordance with rules by what children 

^ ' are to be 

them established, such children as may be declared vagrant, I'eceived. 
neglected and dependent on the public for support, as pro- 
vided in this chapter, who are over four and under fourteen 
years of age, and who are in a suitable condition of mind and 



86 



LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 87 J 



Children re- 
ceived, to be 
returned, 
when, to 
autliorities. 



Object of the 
school, and 
duty of the 
board to carry 
out the pur- 
poses of this 
chapter. 



body to be iiistructed ; for exceptional reasons, children under 
four years may be received, should the board deem it advis- 1 
able. Any child who shall be found by the board to be of 
unsound mind, or who may be considered by the board an 
improper inmate of said institution, shall be forthwith re- , 
turned by them to the authorities from whom said child was. 
received, who are hereby required to receive the same ; and 
all children admitted shall remain until they are eighteen i 
years of age, unless otherwise ordered by the board. 

Sec. 8. It is declared to be the object of this chapter to ■ 
provide for neglected and dependent children, not recognized 
as vicious or criminal, such influences as will lead toward an 
honest, intelligent and self-supporting manhood and woman- 
hood, the state, so far as possible, holding to them the paren- 
tal relation. But if at any time, in the discretion of the 
board, this object can be better attained by placing a child 
in a good family, they shall have the power to do so on con- 
dition that its education shall be provided for by such family 
in the public schools of the town or city where they may re- 
side. The board are hereby made the legal guardians of all 
the children who may become inmates of the home and school^', 
and charged with the duty of following such children as may 
be placed in families, with watchful care, and of taking them 
back to their own immediate supervision if at any time they ; 
fail to receive kind and proper treatment and a fair elemen- 
tary education ; and in case any child shall leave without » 
permission, or be taken by any person unauthorized from 
said institution or from any family where it shall have been 
placed by said board, then said board is hereby authorized to' 
take and restore said child to said institution or to the family. ] 



Certain officers 
are to bring the 
children, con- 
templated by 
this chapter, 
before court of 
probate. 



Sec. 9. It shall be the duty of the superintendents or^* 
overseers of the poor in the several towns to, and any agent 
of the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to 
Children may, bring before the courts of probate of such 



Jliap. 87.] STATE HOME AND SCHOOL FOE CHILDREN. 87 

bowns for examination, children supported in poorliouses or 
otherwise dependent on the public for support, or other 
children found to be in a state of vagrancy, want, or suffer- 
ing, or abandoned by their parents or guardians or not having 
any home or settled abode or proper guardianship; and there- Jumdiction^of 
upon it shall be the duty of the court of probate before whom ^^^^ herein. 
any such child is brought, to investigate the facts and ascer- 
tain if the child is so supported, or is in a state of vagrancy, 
want, and suffering, or is abandoned by its parents or guard- 
ians, or is without home or settled abode or proper guardian- 
ship, and also to ascertain its name, age and place of birth, 
and the names and residence of its parents or guardians, if it 
liave any, and where and for what length of time, if at all, it 
lias been supported at the expense of the town or state ; and 
said courts of probate shall have power to compel attendance 
of witnesses. The parents or any friend may appear in be- fSf^^^aV 
half of any child, and the court of probate in its discretion chFid^'^'''' 
may request some suitable person to appear in behalf of any 
child • and if on such examination the court shall find that ^l^ execution' 
such child is so supported or dependent, or is in a state of 
vagrancy, want, and suffering, or is so abandoned, or without 
home or settled abode or proper guardianship, it shall make a 
proper order containing a statement of the facts ascertained as 
to said child, and entrusting said child to the care and custody 
of the said board, together with a direction to the superintend- 
ent or overseer of the poor to take said child to the -state 
home and school, and shall deliver to the superintendent or 
overseer of the poor, or other person procuring such exam- 
ination, a certified copy thereof. Such certified copy of such 
order shall then be delivered with the child at the home and 
school, to the presiding officer thereof. All expenses attend- 3'bTtVe''^^ 
ing the foregoing proceedings shall be paid by the town or 
cit^y in which the child belongs : Provided, that children be- ^^^^o^^^^o 
tween the ages of four and fourteen supported in the state alms- f^^^.ll^'^'- 
house may be brought before the probate court of the town 



88 



LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 87. 



of Cranston by the ag'ent of the board of state charities and 

corrections, and said court is hereby clothed with the same 

power over such children, and such proceedings may be had, 

Expenses to be as if they Were regularly domiciled in said town : and all ex- 

paidbythe j & j v 5 

^*^*^- penses incident to the hearings in said cases before said pro- 

bate court shall be paid by the state, and the state auditor 
is hereby authorized to draw his orders for the payment of 
all such bills, when certified by the secretary of the board of 
control of the state home and school, out of any money in 
the treasury not otherwise appropriated. 



Register of 
children. 



Annual report 
to be made to 
state board of 
education. 



Board of educa- 
tion to report 
to general 
assembly. 



Sec. 10. The board shall provide a book in which shall be 
registered the names, ages and jDlaces of birth of the children 
under their care ; the residence of the parents or guardians 
as nearly as can be ascertained ; the date when each child is 
received and from what town, and when he leaves the school ; 
and whenever a child is placed in a family, the name, resi- 
dence and occupation of such family ; and such book shall be 
open at all times for the inspection of the probate clerks and 
the overseers of the poor of the several cities and towns of 
the state. 

Sec. 11. The said board of control shall annually report 
to the state board of education, in the month of November, 
upon the condition of the school, the number of inmates 
thereof, the expenditures for the year, and their estimates for 
the year ensuing, together with such other matters as may seem 
desirable ; which report shall be included by said state board 
of education in its annual report to the general assembly. 



CHAPTER 111. 

Of Dogs. 



Section 
10. Dogs to be licensed, fees : penalty. 
15, 16. Mode of appraising damage by 



Section 



dogs. Balance to be applied for 
support of public schools. 



Chap, 111.] DOGS. 89 

Section 10. Every owner or keeper of a clog-, of what age Dogs to be 

. licensed, etc., 

soever, shall annually m the month of April cause such dog to in April ; 
be reg-istered, numbered, described and licensed from the 
first day of the ensuing- June, in the office of the town clerk 
of the town wherein such owner or keeper resides ; and shall 
cause it to wear a collar around its neck distinctly marked 
with its owner's name and with its registered number ; and 
shall pay to such clerk, for such license, one dollar and fifteen fees therefor. 
cents for a male dog* and five dollars and fifteen cents for a 
female dog- ; and all licenses g-ranted under the provisions of 
this chapter shall be valid in every town during- the then cur- 
rent year ; Provided, however, that any owner or keeper of a May be 

• 1 1 c • licensed, in 

dog" of what age soever may, m the month of Majl^ in any year, May ; fees 
have such dog licensed as aforesaid, upon paying to such 
clerk two dollars and fifteen cents for a male dog and six dol- 
lars and fifteen cents for a female dog ; and provided further, when to be 

licensed within 

that any person who shall become the owner or keeper of a dog, ^o days. 
of what age soever, after the last day in May in each year, and 
prior to the first day of April following, shall cause the same 
to be registered, numbered, collared and licensed, within thirty 
days after he becomes such owner or keeper, upon the pay- 
ment of one dollar and fifteen cents for a male dog and five 
dollars and fifteen cents for a female dog. Every person penalty, 
owning or keeping a dog not registered, licensed and collared 
according to the provisions of this section shall be fined ten 
dollars, one half thereof to the use of the complainant and 
one half thereof to the use of the town wherein such dog shall 
have been kept, to be applied by the said town to the support For support of 

^ ' : public schools. 

of public schools therein. 

Sec. 15. Each town or city council, excepting town Appraisers of 

damage done 

and city councils in the county of Newport, shall annually ^y dogs. 
in the month of April appoint one or more suitable persons 
appraisers, who shall be sworn to the faithful discharge of 
their duties, to appraise the damage that may be done to any 

12 



90 



LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 111.1 



Mode of 
appraising 
damage ; 
damages how 
paid. 



Balance to be 
applied to 
school fund, 
except when. 



owner of any sheep or lambs, cattle or liorses, liogs or fowls, I 
suffering loss by reason of the biting, maiming- or killing 
thereof by any dog or clogs, and to give a statement thereof 
in writing to the owner suffering such loss ; and such owner, 
suffering loss as aforesaid, shall, within two clays after such 
loss shall come to his knowledge, notify the appraiser, so ap- 
pointed and sworn, living nearest to him in the town wherein 
such owner resides, of such loss ; and said appraiser shall, 
on receipt of twenty -five cents for each mile's travel and the 
sum of one dollar from such owner, appraise the damage and 
give a statement thereof in writing, with his lawful fees taxed 
thereon, to such owner ; and said owner shall, within sixty 
clays thereafter, present the same to the town council of such 
town, who shall draw an order on the town treasurer for the 
amount of such appraisal and fees, or for such other amount 
as they, in their discretion, after careful examination, shall 
deem just ; and said order, when presented to the town treas- 
urer, shall be paid in the same manner as any other order 
made by the town council upon the town treasurer; and 
should any money, received under the provisions of this chap- 
ter, remain in the town treasury after April first, the town 
treasurer shall, on the first Monday in May following, pay 
over the whole of such money so remaining to the school 
fund of such town for the support of the public schools 
therein ; Provided, however, that anj^ town, at its annual meet- 
ing or at a town meeting specially called for that purpose, 
may A^ote to retain such money as a separate fund for the 
payment of damages done as aforesaid. 



Same subject ; 
in Newport 
county. 



Sec. 16. Each town or city council in the county of New- 
port shall annually in the month of April appoint one or 
more suitable persons appraisers, who shall be sworn to the 
faithful discharge of their duties, to appraise the damage 
that may be done to any owner of any sheep or lambs, cattle, 
horses, hogs or fowls, suffering loss by reason of the biting, 



Chap. 111.] DOGS. 91 

maiming- or killing- thereof by any dog, and to give a state- 
ment thereof in writing to the owner suffering loss ; and such prafslng ^^ 
owner, suffering loss as aforesaid, shall, within two days after damaleshow 
such loss shall come to his knowledge, notify the appraiser, 
so appointed and sworn, living nearest to him in the town 
wherein such owner resides, of such loss ; and said appraiser 
shall, on receipt of twenty cents for each mile's travel and 
the sum of one dollar from such owner, appraise the damage 
and give a statement thereof in writing, with his lawful fees 
taxed thereon to such owner ; and said owner shall, within 
sixty days thereafter, present to the town or city council of 
the town or city where such damage is done the appraisal 
thereof, and thereupon the town or city council of such town 
or city shall draw an order on the town or city treasurer 
for the amount of such appraisal and fees, or for such other 
amount as they, in their discretion, after careful examination, 
shall deem just. And such town or city treasurer shall an- 
nually, on the last Monday in March, pay all such orders in 
full, if the gross amount thus received by such town or city 
under the provisions of this chapter, after deducting all sums 
previously laid out under such provisions, is sufficient there- 
for ; otherwise the town or city treasurer shall divide such • 
amount, after deducting as aforesaid, pro rata among said 
orders,- and the payment thereof shall be in full discharge of 
such orders ; and should any money, received under the pro- Balance to be 

applied to 

visions of this chapter, remain in the town treasury after school fund, 

'- ' "^ except when. 

payment provided for herein, the town or city treasurer shall, 
on the first Monday in May following, pay over the whole of 
such money so remaining to the school fund of such town or 
city for the town or city for the support of the public schools 
therein : P/wided, 'however, that any town in said couaty at 
its annual meeting, or at a town meeting specially called for 
that purpose, or any city in said county by its city council, may 
vote to retain such money as a separate fund for the payment 
of damages done as aforesaid. 



92 



LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Cliap. 166. 



CHAPTER 16fi. 

Of Bills of Exchange and Promissory Notes, and of 
Legal Interest. 

Section 8. What days shall be holidays. 

Holidays. SECTION 8. The twenty-second day of February (as Wasli- 

ington's birthday), the first Wednesday of April (as State elec- 
tion day), the thirtieth day of May (as Memorial day), the 
fourth day of July (as Independence day), the first Monday 
. of September (as Labor day), the twenty-fifth day of Decem- 
ber (as Christmas day), and each of said days in every year, 
such day as the g-overnor of this state shall appoint as Arbor 
day in every year, the Tuesday next after the first Monday 
of November in the year eighteen hundred ninety-six and in 
every second year thereafter (as National election day), or 
when either of the said days falls on the first day of the week, 
then the day following it, the first day of every week (com- 
monly called Sunday), and such other days as the governor 
or general assembly of this state, or the president or the 
congress of the United States, shall appoint as holidays for 
any purpose, days of thanksgiving, or daj^s of solemn fast^ 
shall be holidays. {See Chapter SSJj., Puhlic Laws.) 



CHAPTER 176. 

Of Lncorporation. 



Section 

11. Miscellaneous corporations are 

formed by what articles of agree- 
ment, how executed, and, with 
certificate of fee paid, where filed. 
Form of certificate of incorpora- 
tion. 

12. Certificate of incorporation con- 

fers what powers. 



Section 
1.3. Such corporation may hold prop- 
erty to what amount. 

14. Articles of agreement may be 

amended, how. 

15. Certified copies of incorporations 

are admissible in evidence. 



Chap. 176.] INCORPORATION. 93 

Section 11. All libraries, Ivceums, fire ensriiie companies, Miscellaneous 

^ ■' ' =■ f > corporations, 

and corporations formed for religious, charitable, literary, ^^ow formed. 
scientific, artistic, social, musical, agricultural or sporting pur- 
poses, not organized for business purposes, and all other cor- 
porations of like nature not hereinbefore otherwise provided 
for, shall be created in the following manner, viz. : Five or 
more persons of lawful age shall associate by written articles 
which shall express : 

First. Their agreement to form said corporation ; Agreement. 

Second. The name by which it shall be known, which name Name, 
shall not then be in use by any existing corporation of the 
state ; 

Third. The purpose for which it is constituted ; Purpose. 

Fourth. The town or city in which it is to be located. Location. 

Said agreement shall be signed and acknowledged by all mustbesfgned, 
tlie members named therein, and shall prescribe the manner and'medln^^ ' 

office of the 

in which the first meeting shall be held and organized. Said secretary of 

^ ^ state, with a 

agreement shall be filed in the ofiice of the secretary of state, the'^payment 
and said persons shall pay a fee of five dollars into the gen- 
eral treasury of the state. When said agreement has been 
so filed, together with the certificate of the general treasurer 
that the fee of five dollars has been paid, and the sum of one iifc^'orporation 
dollar has been paid to said secretary of state for the certifi- secretary of ^^ 
cate hereinafter required, the secretary of state shall there- 
upon issue to said corporation his certificate, under the seal 
of the state, substantially in the following form : — 

State of Rhode Island ajsid Providence Plantations. 

I, secretary of state, hereby certify that [^here insert ce/tmcate. 

names of all the corporators'] have filed in the oflice of the 
secretary of state their agreement to form a corporation un- 
der the name of {^here insert name of corporatioii\ for the pur- 
pose [here insert purpose] in accordance with law, and have 
also filed the certificate of the general treasurer that they 



94 



LAWS PEETAINING TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 176. 



Certificate to 
confer what 
powers. 



have paid into the general treasury of the state the fee re- 
quired by law. 

Witness my hand and the seal of the state of Rhode Island 
this day of in the year 

Sec. 12. When said certificate has been issued as afore- 
said said corporators shall be authorized to carry out the 
purpose of such agreement with all the powers and subject 
to all the duties and liabilities as provided herein and in 
chapter one hundred seventy-seven and all amendments 
thereof and additions thereto, so far as not inconsistent with 
the provisions of this chapter, and so far as the provisions of 
said chapter one hundred seventy-seven shall be applicable 
to such corporation. 



May hold 
property to 
amount of 
1,000 ; in 



charter only. 



Sec. 13. Said corporation shall be entitled to take, hold, 
transmit and convey real and personal estate to an amount 
byTplciaf^^"^' ^ot exceeding in all one hundred thousand dollars. But if 
such corporation desires to take and hold property to an 
amount exceeding one hundred thousand dollars either orig- 
inally or by amendment, such privilege shall be granted only 
by the general assembly on petition thereto. 



Articles of 
agreement may 
be amended, 
how, except- 
ing as provided 
in section 13. 



Copies, when 
certified by 
secretary of 
state, to be 
taken in 
evidence. 



Sec. 14. Such agreement may be amended in any partic- 
ular not inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter, 
excepting as provided in the preceding section, by vote of 
the corporation and the filing in the office of the secretary of 
state of a copy of such vote duly attested by the president 
and secretary of said corporation. 

Sec. 15. Copies of agreements to form corporations, when 
formed by agreement, or of any amendment thereof, and the 
fact of their being filed in the office of the secretary of state 
and the date of such filing, and the filing of the certificate of 
the general treasurer, shall, when certified to by the secretary 
of state, be received in evidence before any court, tribunal or 
authority. 



Chap. 279.] offences against peivate property. 



95 



CHAPTER 278. 

Of Offences Against Public Peace. 

Section 7. Disturbing town, ward, religious, scientific, etc., meetings, liow punislied. 

Section 7. Every person who shall wilfully interrupt or dis- Penalty for 

"^ ^ o^ Jr- wilfully dis- 

turb any town or ward meeting, any assembly or people met ingg'"^ ^^^^' 
for religious worship, any public or private school, any meet- 
ing lawfully and peaceably held for purposes of moral, liter- 
ary or scientific improvement, or any other lawful meeting, 
exhibition or entertainment, either within or without the 
place where such meeting or school is held, shall be impris- 
oned not exceeding one year or be fined not exceeding five 
hundred dollars. 



CHAPTER 279. 
Of Offences Against Private Property. 



Section 
53. Of malicious mischief to books, etc., 

of free public libraries. 
53. Of neglect to return to such libra- 



Section 



ries, books, pamphlets, etc., after 
due notice. 



Section 52. Every person who, wilfully and maliciously or Penalty for 

1 T . 1 . . . T !■ ^ malicious 

wantonly and without cause, writes upon, injures, defaces, mischief to 

DooJKs, Ctc^ or 

tears or destroys any book, pamphlet, plate, picture, engrav- ubifary^^'^ 
ing or statue, or other property belonging to any law, town, 
city or other free public library, or suffers any such injury 
to be inflicted while said property is in his custody, shall be 
fined not less than 'one dollar nor more than ten dollars, the 
same to be for the use of the library. 

Sec. 53. Every person who shall take or borrow from anv of neglect to 

" return to such 

law, town, city or other free or public library any book, pam- ^^am'^hie'ts^^'^' 
phlet, paper or other property of said library and who, upon notice^*^^'^ ^^^ 



96 



LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 283. 

neglect to return tlie same witliiu the time required and spec- 
ified in the by-laws, rules or regulations of the library owning 
the property, has been notified by the librarian or other 
proper custodian of the property that the same is overdue, 
shall, upon further neglect to return the same within two 
weeks from the date of such notice, be considered to have 
unlawfully converted the property of the library to his own 
use. A written or printed notice, given personally or sent by 
mail to the last known or registered place of residence, shall 
be considered a sufiicient notice. 



CHAPTER 283. 

Of Offences Against Public Policy. 

Sec. 29. Flags or emblems of foreign countries not to be displayed upon 
public buildings and sehoolhouses. 



Flags or em- SECTION 29. It shall be uulawful to display the flag or em- 

blems of for- J. ^ ^ 

ni?t^o°be°dis^^ blem of any foreign country upon the flagstaff of any state, 
puwk buifd- county, city or town building or public schoolhouse within 
sehoolhouses. this state : Provided, however, that when any foreigner shall 
become the guest of the United States, or of this state, the 
flag' of the country of which such public guest shall be a 
citizen or subject may be displayed upon public buildings, 
except public sehoolhouses. Every person who shall violate 
the provisions of this section shall be fined not less than 
twenty-five nor more than one hundred dollars. 



PUBLIC LAWS 



CHAPTER 304. 

AN ACT IN AMENDMENT OF CHAPTER 55 OF THE GENERAL Passed Jan- 
uary 31, 1896. 
LAWS, "OF THE POWERS OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS." 

It is enacted hy the General Assembly as follows : 

Section 1. Every school district deciding- to elect three of the election 

■^ _ ° of trustees of 

trustee under the provisions of Chapter 55 of the General tricts^*^^^ 
Laws, may at its annual meeting* for the election of school 
district officers elect one of such trustees for a term of three 
years, one for a term of two years and one for a term of one 
year ; and annually thereafter shall be elected one trustee to 
serve for the term of three years. 

Sec. 2. All acts and parts of acts inconsistent with this 
act are hereby annulled. 

Sec. 3. This act shall take effect on and after February 
1st, 1896. 



CHAPTER 322. 

AN ACT IN AMENDMENT OF CHAPTER 85 OF THE GENERAL Passed April 

29, 1896. 

LAWS, "OF PROVISION FOR THE EDUCATION OF THE 

DEAF, BLIND AND IMBECILE CHILDREN." 

It is enacted hy the General Assembly as folloivs : 

Section 1. Section 1 of Chapter 85 of the General Laws 
is hereby amended so as to read as follows : 

13 



98 



LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 332. 



Deaf, blind or 
imbecile child- 
ren may be ap- 
pointed state 
beneficiaries to 
certain institu- 
tions. 



"Section 1. The governor, on recommendation of the 
state board of education, upon application of the parent or 
guardian, may appoint any deaf, blind or imbecile child, 
being a legal resident of this state, who shall appear to said 
board to be a fit subject for education, as a state beneficiary 
at any suitable institution or school now established, or that 
may be established, either within or without the state, for such 
period as he may determine, within the limit of ten j'^ears : 
Provided, that he may, upon the special recommendation of 
the state board of education, extend the period, and that he 
shall have the power to revoke anj^ appointment at any time 
for cause." 



Sec. 2. This act shall take effect on and after its passage, 
and all acts and parts of acts inconsistent herewith are here- 
by repealed. 



CHAPTER 332. 



Passed May 13, 



Who mav at- 
tend the R. I. 
Institute for 
the Deaf. 



AN ACT IN AMENDMENT OF AND IN ADDITION TO CHAP- 
TER 86 OF THE GENERAL LAWS, ENTITLED "OF THE R. I. 
SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF." 

It is enacted hy the General Assemhly as folloivs : 

Section 1. All children of parents, or under the control 
of guardians or other persons, legal residents of this state, 
between the ages of three and twenty years, whose hearing or 
speech, or both, are so defective as to make it inexpedient or 
impracticable to attend the public schools to advantage, not 
being mentally or otherwise incapable, may attend the Rhode 
Island Institute for the Deaf, without charge, under such 
rules and regulations as the board of trustees of said institute 
may establish. 

^Sec. 2. Every person having under his control any such 



Chap. 334.J amendments to the qeneral laws. 99 

child between the as-es of seven and eig'hteen years, shall Certain chii- 

" & J 5 dren to attend 

cause such child to attend school at said institute for such ^^^^ institute. 
period of time or such prescribed course, in each individual 
case, as may be deemed expedient by the board of trustees 
and for any neglect of such duty the person so offending 
shall be fined not exceeding twenty dollars : Provided, that Exceptions. 
if the person so charged, shall prove to the satisfaction of 
said board that the child has received or is receiving, under 
private or other instruction, an education suitable to his con- 
dition, in the judgment of said board, then such penalty shall 
not be incurred : provided further, that no child shall be re- 
moved to said institution or taken from the custody of its 
parent or guardian except as a day scholar unless such parent 
or guardian is an improper person to have such custody, 
and the supreme court in its appellate division shall have 
jurisdiction in habeas corpus to examine into and revise all 
findings of said board of trustees under this act. 

Sec. 3. Any child having attended said institute a time 
or course prescribed by said board, upon leaving the insti- 
tute shall be entitled to receive a certificate of his proficiency 
from said board. 

Sec. 4. This act shall take effect from and after its pas- 
sagre. 



CHAPTER 334. 

AN ACT IX AMENDMENT OF CHAPTEE 165 OF THE GENERAL Passed May 13, 

1896. 

LAWS. 

It is enacted hy the General Assembly as follows : 

Section 1. Section 8 of Chapter 166 of the General Laws Arbor daydes- 

'■ ignated. 

is hereby amended so as to read as follows : 



100 LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Ctiap. 419. 

" Sec. 8. The twenty-second daj' of February (as Wash- 
ington's birthday), the first Wednesday of April (as State 
election day), the thirtieth day of May (as Memorial day), 
the fourth day of July (as Independence day), the first Monday 
of September (as Labor day), the twenty -fifth day of Decem- 
ber (as Christmas day), the second Friday in May (as Arbor 
day), and each of said days in every year, the Tuesday next 
after the first Monday of November in the year eighteen 
hundred ninety-six and in every second year thereafter (as 
National election day), or when either of the said days falls 
on the first day of the week, then the day following it, the 
first day of every week (commonly called Sunday), and such 
other days as the governor or general assembly of this state, 
or the president or the congress of the United States, shall 
appoint as holidays for any purpose, days of thanksgiving, 
or days of solemn fast, shall be holidays." 

Sec. 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage. 



CHAPTER 419. 

Passed Oct. 2, AN ACT IIS^ A3IENDMENT OF CHAPTER 63 OF THE GENERAL 

1896. 

LAWS, " OF THE NORMAL SCHOOL, TEACHERS' INSTITUTES, 

AND LECTURES." 

It is enacted hy the general assemhly as foUoios : 

Section 1. Section 5 of Chapter 63 of the General Laws 
is hereby amended so as to read as follows : 

SvliSfex^^ "iSEC. 5. The trustees of the Normal School may pay to 

pupils. each pupil who shall reside within the State and not within 

five miles of said school, who shall have been duly admitted 

thereto, and who shall have attended the regular sessions of 

said school and complied with the regulations thereof during 



Chap. 420.] AMENDMENTS TO THE GENERAL LAWS. 101 

the term next preceding such payments, not exceeding ten 
dollars for each quarter year for travelling expenses ; but 
such payments in the aggi-egate for such travelhng expenses 
shall not exceed the sum of two thousand dollars in any one 
year, and shall be made to the respective pupils entitled to 
the same in proportion to the distance they may reside from 
said school." 

Sec. 2. This act shall take effect on and after its passage, 
and all acts and parts of acts inconsistent herewith are hereby 
repealed. 



CHAPTER 420. 



AN ACT IN AMENDMENT OF CHAPTER 65 OF THE GENERAL Passed Got. 2, 
LAWS, ENTITLED "GENERAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO 
PUBLIC SCHOOLS." 

It is enacted ly the General Assemlly as follows: 

Section 1. Sections 9 and 10 of Chapter 65 of the General S'g andTa 
Laws are hereby repealed. 

Sec. 2. In the city of Providence, the school committee Po^^^^^^^^^it. 
of said city shall hereafter employ the superintendent and ^^encl^""^'" 
teachers, have charge and custody of all school buildings and 
school property, manage and regulate the schools, and draw 
all orders for payment of their expenses from the money ap- 
propriated by the city council for the support of pubhc 
schools : Provided, hoioever, that the city council of said city 
shall have the expenditure of all sums appropriated for the 
purchase of land for school purposes or for the improvement 
of the same or for the construction or repair of school build- 
ings. 

Sec. 3. This act shall take effect from and after its pas- 
sasre. 



102 



LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 485. 



Passed May 21, 
1897. 



School com- 
mittee of Prov- 
idence author- 
ized to estab- 
lish a Public 
School Teach- 
ers' Retire- 
ment Fund. 



CHAPTER 485. 

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE CREATION AND DISBURSE- 
MENT OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS' RETIREMENT FUND 
IN THE CITY OF PROVIDENCE. 

It is enacted hy the General Assemhly as follows : 

Section 1. The school committee of the city of Provi- 
dence shall have power to establish what shall be known asi 
the Public School Teachers' Retirement Fund, which fundi 
shall be administered by the board of trustees hereinafter 
provided for. Said fund shall consist of : 

First. All moneys received from donations, legacies, gifts, 
bequests, or otherwise, for or on account of said fund. 

Second. On and after October first eighteen hundred 
ninety-seven, the school committee shall reserve and turn 
over to said fund one per cent, of the salaries paid to 
teachers who shall prior to that date elect to come under 
the provisions of this act ; and one per cent, of the salaries 
paid to all teachers appointed after said date : Provided, 
that no teacher shall be assessed for more than one per 
cent, of twelve hundred dollars per annum. 



Fund to be ad- 
ministered by 
whom. 



Third. All interest or income derived from the above 
moneys. 

Sec, 2. The president or chairman of the school com- 
mittee together with three members chosen by said com- 
mittee, the superintendent of schools, the city treasurer of 
the city of Providence who shall be ex-ofiicio the treasurer 
of said fund, and three representatives to be elected annually .; 
by those teachers of the public schools who contribute to ' 
the support of this fund in accordance with section 1 of this 
act, shall form a board of trustees who shall have charge of 
and administer gaid fund, and said board of trustees shall 



hap. 485.] AMENDMENTS TO THE GENERAL LAWS. 103 

tiave power to invest and re-invest the same as shall be 
deemed by them most beneficial to said fund, and shall 
make payment from said fund of annuities granted in pur- 
suance of this act ; and shall from time to time make and 
establish such rules and regulations for the administration 
of said fund as they shall deem best. 

Sec. 3. Whenever a teachers' pay roll shall be certified to certain deduc- 

■^ •' tions to be 

the city auditor for payment, it shall contain a statement of {^achei^s°™ay- 
the amount to be deducted from the salary of each teacher fund. 
who contributes to the support of said fund in accordance 
with the provisions of this act, which amounts shall be 
added by said city treasurer to said retirement fund ; and all 
amounts received by said treasurer for said fund, in accord- 
ance with the provisions of this act, shall be subject to the 
order of said board of trustees signed by the president and 
secretary of said board. 

Sec. 4. Every teacher who has annually contributed to who may be- 
come a bene- 
said fund in accordance with the provisions of this act for at f°]^^^ °^ ^^^'^ 

least five years, and shall have taught in public schools, if a 
man, not less than thirty-five years, or if a woman, not less 
than thirty years, twenty years of which service in both 
cases shall have been in the public schools of said city next 
preceding the time of retirement, may be retired and shall 
have the right voluntarily to retire from such service and 
become a beneficiary under this act ; and every such teacher 
so retired or retiring shall be entitled to an annuity for the 
remainder of his or her life, to be paid by said board of 
trustees out of said fund, equal to one half of the salary of 
such teacher at the time of such retirement, at the same 
times and in the same proportions as the salaries of teachers 
are paid : Pfvvided, that the annuity so paid shall in no case 
exceed six hundred dollars in any one year. 

Sec. 5. Every teacher in the public schools of said city, same subject. 
who shall have taught continuously therein not less than 



104 



LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Cliap. 540. 



ten years and for not less than five years annually con- 
tributed to said fund in the manner provided in this act and 
has become, without the fault of such teacher, mentally or 
physically incapacitated for such service, may retire or be 
retired therefrom and become a beneficiary of said fund in 
the same manner and to the same extent as provided in sec- 
tion 4 of this act : Provided, that such annuity shall cease 
when such incapacity ceases. 

Sec. 6. In case the fund should be insuflicient to pay the 
annuities provided for in section 4 of this act, the board of 
trustees shall make a ratable distribution among the teachers 
who may be entitled to annuities under the provisions of 
this act. 

Sec. 7. This act shall take effect from and after its pas- 
sasre. 



CHAPTER 540. 



Passed April 
29, 1898. 



AN ACT IN AMENDMENT OF CHAPTfiH 53 OF THE GENERAL 
LAWS, "OF THE APPROPRIATION FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS." 

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: 

Section 1. Section 7 of chapter 53 of the General Laws 
is hereby amended so as to read as follows : 

" Sec. 7. The sum of four thousand dollars shall be annu- 
trattv^a*^^a^^ ally appropriated for the purchase of dictionaries, encyclo- 
ratus. pedias and other works of reference, maps, globes, and other 

apparatus, for the use of the public schools of the state." 

Sec. 2. Section 8 of chapter 53 of the General Laws is 
hereby amended so as to read as follows : 



Appropriation 
for reference 



" Sec. 8. Said sum of four thousand dollars shall be appor- 
appropriation. ^^Qj^g(;^ among the Several towns and districts as follows : 



Apportion- 
ment of said 



Chap. 544.] AMENDMENTS TO THE GENEKAL LAWS. 105 

Every town or district desiring to avail itself of this appro- 
priation shall make application therefor to the commissioner 
of public schools, with vouchers for the amount actually 
expended. Upon receipt of said application and vouchers 
ihe commissioner of public schools may draw his order on 
the general treasurer in behalf of said applicant, for half the 
amount of said vouchers, to an amount not exceeding twenty 
dollars in any one year in favor of any one district, or at the 
rate of ten dollars for each school, to an amount not exceed- 
ing two hundred dollars in any one year for any town : 
Provided, that the gross amount in any one year shall not 
exceed four thousand dollars." 

Sec. 3. This act shall take effect on and after its passage, 
and all acts and parts of acts inconsistent herewith are hereby 
repealed. 

CHAPTER 544. 

AN ACT TO SECURE A MORE UNIFORM HIGH STANDARD IN Passed May 4, 
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF THIS STATE. ^^^ 



It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: 

Section 1. In case any town shall consolidate three or Any town may 

consolidate 

more ungraded schools, and instead thereof shall establish three or more 

° ' ungraded 

and maintain a graded school of two or more departments ^•^'^°°i®- 
with an " average number belonging " of not less than twenty 
pupils for each department, the state shall pay to such town 
one hundred dollars annually for each department of said 
schools towards the support thereof. Two or more towns 
may unite in the establishment and maintenance of such 
graded school, and in such cases the money paid by the state 
towards the support thereof shall be divided between the 
towns thus maintaining said school according to the number 
of pupils contributed by each town to the whole " average 
number belonging." 

14 



106 



LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 544, 



Any district 
with ungraded 
school may 
consolidate 
with district 
having graded 
school. 



State aid 
provided for 
high school 
education. 



Applications 
to whom made. 



Provisions 

against 

forfeiture. 



Sec. 2. In case of tlie consolidation of any district main- 
taining an ungraded school with another district main- 
taining a graded school there shall be paid by the state 
to the town in which the districts are situated, on account 
of the latter district, the sum of one hundred dollars an- 
nually for each district so consolidated, the same to be used 
for the support of the aforesaid graded school, or for the 
transportation of pupils as provided for by section 8 of this 
chapter. 

Sec. 3. Any town maintaining a high school having a 
course of study approved by the state board of education, 
and in the town of New Shoreham any consolidated district 
provided for in section 1 of Chapter 57 of the General Laws, 
shall be entitled to receive annually from the state twenty 
dollars for each pupil in average attendance for the first 
twenty -five pupils, and ten dollars for each pupil in average 
attendance for the second twenty -five pupils. Any town not 
maintaining a high school, which shall make provision for 
the free attendance of its children at some high school or 
academy approved by the statfe board of education, shall be 
entitled to receive aid from the state for each pupil in such 
attendance upon the same basis and to the same extent as if 
it maintained a high school by itself. 

Sec. 4. All applications for aid under this act shall be 
made to the commissioner of public schools by the school 
committee of the town ; and said application must be accom- 
panied by the certificate of the principal teacher of the 
school on account of which the application is made, setting 
forth the facts relating to the attendance which is made the 
basis of the apiDlication. 

Sec. 5. After any school, such as is provided for in section 
1 of this chapter, has been established it shall not forfeit its 
claim to its share of the state aid for a failure to maintain 
the required " average number belonging " unless said " av- 



•Chap. 544.] amendments to the general laws. 107 

erage number belongino- " falls below fifteen for the several 
departments. 

Sec. 6. The sum of twenty thousand dollars, or so much Appropriation. 
thereof as may be needed, shall be annually appropriated for 
ihe payment of the several sums which may become due and 
payable under the provisions of this chapter ; and the state 
auditor is hereby authorized and directed to draw his orders 
on the general treasurer in favor of such towns for such sums 
as shall be certified to him by the commissioner of public 
schools as due to said towns under the provisions of this 
chapter. 

Sec. 7. In the apportionment of the annual appropriation consolidation 
of the one hundred and twenty thousand dollars provided ^n'y parrof^ 
by law for the support of public schools, no town shall for- ^^ '° money. 
feit any portion thereof hereafter on account of any reduc- 
iion in the number of its schools, by reason of the consolida- 
tion thereof in accordance with the provisions of this act, 
but each town shall continue to be entitled to the same 
amount from said annual appropriation upon the basis of 
the number of schools prior to such consolidation. (See 
.Sec. 2, Chap. 53.) 

Sec. 8. The school committee of any town may consoli- school com- 
mittee may 

date any schools the average number belonging of each of schoois*^^when 
which is less than twelve, for the purpose of establishing 
a graded school ; and said school committee shall have au- 
thority to provide, in their discretion, transportation for 
pupils to and from school. 

Sec. 9. No person shall be employed to teach, as principal Every teacher 

_ '- "^ 5 1 J- must have 

or assistant, in any school supported w^holly or in part by ggrt^oate 
public money unless such person shall have a certificate 
of qualification issued by, or under the authority of, the state 
board of education. {See Sec. 8, Chap. 60, and Sec. 1, Chap. 61.) 



108 



Examinations, 
when and by 
wliom held. 



Annulment of 
certificate. 



LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 545, 

Sec. 10. The state board of education shall hold, or cause 
to be held, in such jDlaces in different parts of the state, and 
at such times as they may determine, examinations for the 
position of teacher in the public schools of this state ; and 
said board of education is hereby authorized to issue certifi- 
cates of qualification which shall be valid throughout the 
state for the grade and time specified therein. 

Sec. 11. Said board of education may at any time annul 
for cause any certificate issued by them, after due notice to' 
the holder thereof, and an opportunity for a hearing if de- 
sired. 



Certificates 
issued without 
examination, 
when. 



Sec. 12. Said state board of education may, in their dis- 
cretion, issue certificates of qualification without examination 
to persons who have taught in the public schools in this state 
for three or more years, upon their filing with said board a 
written application approved by the school committee of the 
town where the applicant shall have taught the greater 
part of the three years next preceding the date of the appli- 
cation. 



Sec. 13. This act shall take effect on July first A. D. 1898,. 
and all acts and parts of acts inconsistent herewith are 
hereby repealed. 



CHAPTER 545. 

Passed May 4, AN ACT IN AMENDMENT OF CHAPTER 85 OF THE GENERAL. 
'' LAWS, "OF PROVISION FOR THE EDUCATION OF DEAF, 

BLIND, AND IMBECILE CHILDREN." 



It is enacted by the General Assembly as folloius : 

Section 1. Section 4 of Chapter 85 of the General Laws, 
is hereby amended so as to read as follows : 



Chap. 569.] AMENDMENTS TO THE GENERAL LAWS. 109 

" Sec. 4. All bills arising under this chapter shall be ex- Appropriation 
amined and approved by the board of education, and the of deaf, blind, 

and imbecile 

state auditor is hereby authorized to draw his orders on the children. 
general treasurer for the payment thereof when properly 
certified by the secretary of the board and approved by the 
governor ; and a sum not to exceed fourteen thousand dollars, 
or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby annually 
appropriated therefor out of any money in the treasury not 
otherwise appropriated." 

Sec. 2. This act shall take effect on and after its passage, 
and all acts and parts of acts inconsistent herewith are 
hereby repealed. 



CHAPTER 569. 

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE CREATION AND DISBURSE- Passed May 6, 

1898. 

MENT OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS' RETIREMENT : 

FUND IN THE CITY OF NEWPORT. 

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows : 

Section 1. The school committee of the city of Newport sohooi com- 
mittee of New- 
shall have power to establish what shall be known as the port author- 

^ ized to estab- 

public school teachers' retirement fund, which fund shall be schoof^^'^^ 
administered by the board of trustees hereinafter provided tfrement fund. 
for. Said fund shall consist of 

First, All moneys received from donations, legacies, gifts, 
bequests, or otherwise, for or on account of said fund, and 
also any appropriation which the city council of said city 
may see fit to make'from time to time for the benefit of said 
fund, which appropriations are hereby authorized to be made 
by said city council. 

Secondi On and after September 1, 1898, the school com- 
mittee of said city shall reserve and turn over to said fund 



110 LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 569. r 

one per cent, of the salaries paid to teachers who shall, prior 
to that date, elect to come under the provisions of this act ; 
and one per cent, of the salaries paid to all teachers ap- 
appointed after said date : Provided, that not more than one 
per cent, of twelve hundred dollars per annum shall be de- 
ducted from the salary of any one teacher. 

Third, All income or interest derived from the above 
moneys. 

Fund to be ad- Qec. 2. Three members of the said school committee, 

ministered by 

or how. chosen annually by said committee, the superintendent of 

schools, and three representatives to be elected by those 
teachers of the public schools who contribute to the support 
of this fund in accordance with section 1 of this act, shall 
form a board of trustees who shall have charge of and ad- 
minister said fund, and said board of trustees shall have 
power to invest and re-invest the same as shall be deemed 
by them most beneficial to said fund, and shall make pay- 
ment from said fund of annuities granted in pursuance of this 
act, and shall from time to time make and establish such rules 
and regulations for the administration of such fund as they 
shall deem best. The city treasurer of said city shall be ex- 
officio the treasurer of said fund. Of the three representatives 
to be elected by the said teachers at the time of their first 
election, one shall be chosen for a term of one year, one for 
two years, and one for three years, and thereafter one such, 
representative shall be chosen each year to serve for the; 
term of three years. 

^j^rtemdeduc- ^-^^^ ^ Whenever a teachers' pay-roll shall be certifiedl 

teachers'^pay- to the city auditor of said city for payment, it shall contain,'! 

fund. a statement of the amount to be deducted from the salary ofi 

each teacher who contributes to the support of said fund inj 

accordance with the provisions of this act, which amounts; 

shall be added by said city treasurer to said retirement t 



Ohap. 569.] amendments to the general laws. Ill 

fund ; and all amounts received by said treasurer for said 
fund, in accordance with the provisions of this act, shall be 
subject to the order of said board of trustees, signed by the 
president and secretary of said board. 

Sec. 4. Every teacher who has annually contributed to said ^me'alfenefi- 
fund in accordance with the provisions of this act for at least tnni. °^ ^^^^ 
6ve years, and shall have taug-ht in public schools for not 
less than thirty years, fifteen years of which service shall 
have been in the public schools of said city, may be retired, 
and shall have the right voluntarily to retire from such ser- 
vice and become a beneficiary under this act ; and every 
such teacher so retired or retiring shall be entitled to an 
annuity equal to one half the amount of salary received at 
the time of retirement, for the remainder of his or her life, 
to be paid by said board of trustees at the same time and in 
the same proportion as the salaries of public school teachers 
in said city are paid : Provided, that no annuity shall be 
paid till such retiring member shall have contributed to the 
fund a sum equal to all the assessments for thirty years had he 
been assessed hereunder upon his salary during said term, 
except under the conditions prescribed in section 5, and 
provided also, that the annuity so paid shall in no case ex- 
ceed six hundred dollars in any one year. 

Sec. 5. Every teacher in the public schools of said city, same subject. 
who shall have taught continuously therein not less than 
ten years, and for not less than five years annually contrib- 
uted to said fund in the manner provided in this act, and 
has become, without the fault of such teacher, mentally or 
physically incapacitated for such service, may retire or be 
retired therefrom, and become a beneficiary of said fund in 
the same manner and to the same extent as provided in sec- 
tion 4 of this act ; except that the teacher so retired may at 
the discretion of the board be exempted from the obligation 
to make good thirty full assessments as above, and such in- 



112 



LAWS PEETAINING TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 587i 



Contributors 
to fund, if dis- 
missed, to re- 
ceive what pro- 
portion of 
amount by 
them paid to 
same. 



Proceedings in 
case fund is in- 
sufficient to 
pay annuities. 



capacity shall be determined by the attending physician and 
one sent by the board of trustees, and the annuity shall cease 
Avhen the incapacity ceases. 

Sec. 6. Any teacher who shall be dismissed before having 
served ten years shall receive back all the money which such 
teacher may have contributed to the fund herein provided 
for ; but if dismissed after ten years and before having served 
twenty years, shall receive only two thirds of the amount so 
contributed ; and after twenty years only one third of the 
amount so contributed. 

Sec. 7. In case said fund should be insufficient to pay the 
annuities provided for in sections 4 and 5 of this act, the 
board of trustees shall make a ratable distribution thereof 
among the teachers who may be entitled to annuities under 
the iDrovisions of this act. 

Sec. 8. This act shall take effect from and after its passage. 



CHAPTER 587. 



Passed June 15, AN ACT IN AMENDMENT OF CHAPTER 64 OF THE GENERAL. 

^-^ LAWS, ENTITLED "OF TRUANT CHILDREN AND OF THE- 

ATTENDANCE OF CHILDREN IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS." 

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows : 

Of the attend- SECTION 1. The school Committee of the city of Providencee 

ance of chil- 

Uc^sohoois of^ shall divide the school year into two school terms of appro xi- 
dence^ Provi- j^j^^giy equal length ; and every person having under his- 
control a child between the ages of seven and fifteen years- 
residing in said city shall cause such child to regularly 
attend some public day school in said city for at least the: 
whole of one of such terms in each year, subject to the sam©: 
penalty and the same provisos as are specified in section 1 ofl 
Chapter 64 of the General Laws ; and, in said city, attend- 



Chap. 593.] amendments to the geneeal laws. 113 

ance as aforesaid shall be required under all the provisions 
of Chapter 64 of the General Laws in the place and stead of 
the attendance for eighty full school days specified in said 
section 1 of said chapter. 

Sec. 2. All acts and parts of acts inconsistent here- 
with are hereby repealed, and this act shall take effect from 
and after its passage. / 



CHAPTER 593. 



AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE AND EMPOWER THE SCHOOL COM- Passed June 2, 

lo9o. 



MITTEE OF THE CITY OF PROVIDENCE TO CONTRACT 
WITH THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE RHODE ISLAND 
NORMAL SCHOOL. 

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows : 

Section 1. The school committee of the city of Providence Provision for 

■^ the education 

is hereby authorized and empowered to contract from time rlidents^t 
to time with the board of trustees of the Rhode Island Tohoofs^fn '*' '° 
normal school for the education of children residing in the sciiooi buiid- 

ing. 

city of Providence, in schools maintained in the Rhode 
Island normal school building and controlled by said board 
of trustees, upon such terms and conditions as may be mutu- 
ally agreed upon by said school committee and said board of 
trustees. 

Sec. 2. All expenditures of money by said school com- Expense of 

said education 

mittee made necessary by any contract made in pursuance how and by 

"^ ■' "^ -^ wiiom to be 

of the authority hereby granted shall be made out of the ^^^^' 
appropriations mad'e by the city council of the city of Provi- 
dence for the support of public schools. 

Sec. 3. This act shall take effect upon its passage, and 
all acts and parts of acts inconsistent herewith are hereby 
repealed. 



114 



LAAYS PEKTAmmG TO EDUCATION. [Chap. 620. 



CHAPTER 620. 



Passed March AN ACT IN AMENDMENT OF SECTION 6, CHAPTER 61 OF THE 
3, 1899. 

GENERAL LAWS, "OF TEACHERS." 

It is enacted hy the General Assembly as follows : 

Section 1. Section 6, Chapter 61 of the General Laws, 
" Of teachers," is herebj" amended so as to read as follows : 



Members of 
school com- 
mittee and 
trustees of 
school districts 
are ineligible 
to teach in pub- 
lic schools. 



" Sec. 6. No member of the school committee of any town, 
or trustee of any school district, shall, so long as he continues 
in said office of member of the school committee or trustee; 
of school district, be eligible or employed to teach as prin- 
cipal or assistant in smj school supported entirely or in part 
by the public monej^, within the town where said member of 
the school committee or trustee resides." 

Sec. 2. This act shall take effect from and after its passage, 
and all acts or parts of acts inconsistent herewith are hereby 
repealed. 



INDEX. 



Abatement of taxes, when and how made, 50. 
Absentees, provisions and arrangements for, 69. 
Account of school commissioner to State auditor, 65. 

of scliool moneys, penalty for neglect to deliver to successor, 72. 
Acts of incorporation, public acts, 14. 
Additions to district, liable how far, 48. 
Admission to R. I. School for Deaf, by trustees, 83. 
Advanced school provided for, 46. 
Advertisement of sale of property for taxes, 24, 26. 
Agreement to submit dispute to commissioner, when, 61. 
Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, R. I. College of, 74-78. 
Aid, collector of taxes may require, 28. 
Afcohol, instruction as to effect of, upon human system, 55. 
Aldermen, Board of, words "toMai council" construed to mclude, 13, 

penalty for neglect of, to appoint truant officer, 70. 

to appoint special constables under truant law, 66. 
Amount of tax to be approved by school committee, 43. 
Annual meeting of districts, notice of, 44. 

when to be held, 44. 
Apparatus, appropriation for, 36, 104. 

applications therefor to be recorded, 37. 
how apportioned, 3,7, 105. 
Appeals from condemnation proceedings, 54. 

to school commissioner, 61. 
Apportionment of property where district is divided, 48. 

of public money to districts, 56. 
when to be made, 56. 

of State appropriation for libraries, 32. 
for public schools, 36. 
Appraisal of land for schoolhouse, how made, .54. 



116 LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. 

Appropriation, State, for apparatus and reference books, 36, 104. 
for evening schools, 37. 
for graded schools, 105, 107. 
for high schools, 106, 107. 
for lectures and teachers' institutes, 64. 
for libraries, 32. 
for public schools, 3.5. 

for travellmg expenses of pupils of Xormal school, 64, 100. 
to School of Design, 78. 
towTi, for libraries, 17, 19. 
for schools, 17, 36. 
Arbor Day, programme for, 35. 

to be a legal holiday, 92, 100. 
Assessing and collecting poll taxes, 22. 
Assessment of tax, errors m, how corrected, 50. 
notice of, 49. 

when ordered by school commissioner, 49. 
Assessors of taxes, compensation of, 29. 
Associate districts, how formed, 46. 
organization of, 46. 
powers of, 46. 

public money how paid to, 47. 
Attendance at school of non-residents, how reckoned, 52. 
required of what children, 65, 112. 
rules for, made by school committee, 55. 
Auctioneers, duties paid by, added to school fund, 15. 

Beneficiaries at School of Design, 78. 

blind, deaf, and imbecile, 81, 98. 
bills for, how paid, 82, 108. 
Bequests and legacies to libraries, how treated, 20. 
Blackboards, school districts may supply, 43. 
Blanks and registers to be provided, 33. 

for school census, 41. 

for report of school committee, 58. 
Blind, imbecile, and deaf children, education of, 81, 98. 
Board of Education, State, 31. 

constitution of, 31. 

duties of, 31, 32, 37, 63, 78, 107, 108. 

how divided, 31. 



INDEX. 117 

Board of Education, State, how elected, 31. 

may appoint beneficiaries, 78. 

meetings of, 32. 

may annul teachers' certificates, 108. 

officers of, 32. 

terms of office of, 31. 

to appropriate money and make rules for libraries, 32. 

to hold examinations, for teachers, 108. 

to issue teachers' certificates, 107, 108. 

to make report to general assembly annually, 34. 

to receive reports, 33, 78, 88. . 

to supervise education of deaf, blind, and imbecile children, 81. 

travelling expenses of, how paid, 34. 
Boundaries of school districts, how changed, 53. 

to be recorded by town clerk, 41. 
Bribery of school officers prohibited, and penalty for, 73. 

Census of children of school age, 41. 

retu^rns of, certified to school commissioner, 42. 
deposited with school committee, 42. 
Certificates of attendance at school, kept by employer, 68. 
of incorporation, confer what powers, 94. 
form of, 93. 

issued by secretary of state, 93. 
of qualiflcdtion of school teachers, valid how long, 59. 

when needed, 59, 107. 
of vaccination, required when, 74. 
Certificate voters, 7. 

Change in text-books by committee, how made, 58. 
Children, employment of, prohibited when, 67, 68, 79. 
See State Home and School for Children. 
Christmas Day, to be a legal holiday, 92, 100. 
City, word "town" construed to include, 13. 

clerk, words "to\^ai clerk" construed to include, 13. 
Classification of voters, 6. 
Clerk, commissioner may employ, 34. 
of school committee, 53. 

of school district, election, powers, duties, 43-45, 63. ' 
to record votes, when, 45. 
See Toivn Clerk. 



118 LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. 

Clothing for blind, deaf, and imbecile children, 81. 
Collection of taxes, 23. 

from persons taxed being out of State, 27. 
of district taxes, 43. 
Collectors of taxes, 43. 

compensation of, 30. 
'may adjourn sale, 27. 
may advertise and sell real estate, 24. 
may distrain, when, 26. 
may follow persons or property, 27. 
may recover tax, how, 27. 
may remove personal property, 27. 
may require aid, 28. 
to give bond, when, 43, 62. 
Commissioner of public schools, 34. 

duties of, 34, 35, 36, 37, 41, .58, 61, 64, 65, 70, 104, 105. 

election of, 31. 

may employ clerk, 34. 

may visit schools receiving aid from State, 72. 

may withhold school money from town, when, 41. 

poAvers of, in case of tax by jomt or associated districts, 50. 

to admmister oaths, 11. 

to correct errors in assessing tax, 50. 

to order abatement of tax, 50. 

to remit fines, 63. 
pro tempore, may be appointed by the governor, 34. 
school committee to prescribe rules and studies under direction of, 55. 
term of office of, 34. 

to apportion appropriation for public schools, 36. 
to approve plans for schoolhouses, when, 43. 

tax, repairs, etc., of joint district, when, 50. 
to be secretary of Board of Education, 32. 

trustee of Xormal School, 63. 
to furnish blanks, 41, 58. 
to draw appropriation for apparatus, 37. 

for free libraries, 33. 

for public schools, 36. 
to hear appeals and decide on matters of dispute, when, 61. 
to hold teacher's institutes, 64. 
to notify authorities of neglect under truant law, 70. 



INDEX. 119^ 

Commissioner of public schools, to order assessment and collection of 
district tax, when, 49, 50. 

to prepare programme for Arbor Day, 35. 

to receive application for aid for high and consolidated schools, 106. 

to receive reports, 41, 42, 58. 

to report annually to Board of Education, 35. 

to secure uniformity of text-books, 35.- 

to submit statement to justice of supreme court, when, 61. 

to visit schools, 34. 
Committee. See School Committee. 
Compensation of assessors, 29. 

of superintendent of schools, 40. 

of trustees, 52. 
Complainant ui case of truancy, 67. 
Computation of time, 13. 

Condemnation of land for schoolhouses, how made, 54. 
Condition of aid to free public libraries, 32. 

of employment of children, 67. 

of receiving teachers' money, 36. 
Consent of school committee for district meeting, when required, 45. 
Consolidated district entitled to Avhat moneys, 47. 

how formed, 47. 

organization of, 47. 
Consolidation of ungraded schools, 105. 

by school committee, when, 107. 
Constitution of the State, extracts from, 3. 

declaration of rights in, 3. 

educational provisions of, 5. 

objects of government under, 4. 

qualifications for office under, 4. 

religious freedom secu.red by, 4. 
Construction of statutes, 12. 

of word "gender," 12. 

"land" or "lands," 13. 
"number," 12. 
"oath," 13. 
"person," 12. 
' 'seal," 14. 
"town," 13, 

of words giving joint authority, 12. 



120 LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION, 

Construction of statutes. 

of words "insane person," 13. 

"justice of peace," 13. 

"month" and "year," 13. 

"town clerk," 13. 

"town council," 13. 

"towTi sergeant," 13. 

"town treasurer," 13. "^ 

"r'nited States," 13. 

"ward clerk," 13. 
Corporations, literary and scientific, how formed, 93. 

powers of, 94. 
Costs not taxed to school officers, when, 62. 
Court may discharge convicted truants, when, 69. 

Deaf, blind, and imbecile, period of education of, may be extended, 98. 

provision for education of, 81, S2, 98, 108. 
Debts of districts, how treated, 39. 
Deduction of taxes allowed when, 29. 
Difference hi value, how adjusted, 39. 
Diplomas, Xormal School, condition for receivmg, 64. 
Discontinued districts, powers and duties of, 39, 
Dismissal of teacher, when and how, 55, 59. 
Dispute may be submitted to commissioner, when, 61. 
Districts may be abolished by to^^n, 38. 
may be formed, 38. 

See School District. 
District boimdaries to be kept by tcmi clerk, 41. 
meetmgs, 44. 

aiotice of, by whom given, 44. 

how given, 45. 
where to be held, 45. 
officers hold how long, 72. 
must be engaged, 71. 
penalty for neglect of duty by, 72. 
property, how to be appraised, 39. 
taxes, how collected, 43. 
how levied, 49, 

when assessors to be called on to assess, 49. 
Disturbance of school or any public meeting, 95. 



INDEX. 121 

Division of district, how treated, 48. 

Documents, i3enalty for unlawful refusal to deliver official, 16. 

Dogs, 88. 

to be licensed, 89. 
Donations for support of public schools, .5. 

Education of deaf, blind, and imbecile, 81, 98. 

provisions of constitution for, 5. 
Election Day, national, to be legal holiday, 92, 100. 

State, to be legal holiday, 92, 100. 
Election of school committee, 39. 

Electors, rights and qualifications of, 6-10. See Voters. 
Employer to keep certificate of attendance at school, 68. 

register of all under 16, 79. 
Employment of children forbidden, when, 67, 79. 
Engagement of district officers, 71. 
evidence of, 71. 

to office, form of, 10 
Entry by collector unnecessary, 25. 
Errors in tax to be corrected, how, .50. 
Evening school appropriation, 37. 
Evidence of engagement to office, 71. 

that district meeting has been duly notified, 63. 
Examination of pupils for l^ormal School, 64. 

of teachers, 55, 59, 64, 108. 
Exclusion from school must be by general rule, 71. 
Execution for tax sale, how issued, 27. 
Exemption from liability to send child to school, 66. 

from taxation, 20, 21. 
Experiment station established, 75. 
Expenses of State board of education, 34. 

Factory and manufacturing establishments defined, 79. 
inspectors, 79. 

duties of, 80. 
how appointed, SO. 
Failure to comply with truant law forfeits school money, 70. 
Fees allowed truant officer, when, 67. 

for books in free public library not to be exacted, 19. 
not to be offered to school officers, 73. 

16 



122 LA^YS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. 

Fees not to be received by school officers, 73. 

of collector of taxes, 30. 
Fines for disturbing meetings or schools, 95. 

for employment of children in factories, 68, 69. 

for injury to property of libraries, 95. 

for neglect of duty, 72. 

in school matters, commissioner may remit, 63. 

imder truant law, how used, 70. 
Flags, foreign, not to be put up on schoolhouses, 96. 
Foreigners to file proof of citizenship, 8. 
Forfeited or unexpended money, how treated, 58. 
Forfeiture of teachers' money, 36. 
Formation of district, restrictions on, 54. 
Forms of engagement to office, 10. 
Fourth of July, to be legal holiday, 92, 100. 
Free public libraries, aid for, 32. 

how established, 17, 18, 19. 

how maintained, 17, 19. 

payments to, how made, 33. 

to comply with rules of board of education, 32. 
Free text-books to be supplied by school committee, 58. 
Fund, permanent. See Permanent School Fund. 

for free public libraries may be accepted by town or city cormcil, 19. 

Gender, how construed, 12. 
General powers of school districts, 42. 
provisions concerning taxes, 29. 

relating to public schools, 71. 
General tax laws applicable to school districts, 30. 
General Treasurer to have custody of school fund, 14. 
Gift to free public library, how receipted for, 20. 
Governor may administer oaths anywhere in State, 11. 

member and president of State board of education, 31, 32. 
to advise as to investment of permanent school fund, 14. 
to appoint board of control for State Home and School, 85. 
commissioner of public schools pro tempore, 34. 
factory inspectors, and may remove them, 80. 
State beneficiaries, blind, deaf, etc., 81, 98. 
trustees of E. I. Institute for the Deaf, 82. 



INDEX. 123 

High Schools, State aid for, 106. 
Holidays, legal, what are, 92. 

as amended, 100. 
Hygiene, mstruction m, to be provided, 55. 
Idiot, provisions for edncation of, 81, 98. 
Imbecile, deaf, and blind children, 81, 98. 

Improper children at State Home and School may be returned, 86. 
Income of school fund, how to be used, 15. 
indebtedness of town, limit of, 18. 
Incorporation, 92. 

Incorrigible pupils may be suspended, 56. 
Insane person, how construed, 13. 
Institutes and lectures for teachers provided for, 64. 
Insurance of schoolhouses, 43. 

Joint authority, how exercised, 12. 

may be exercised by whom, 13. 
Joint school districts, 46. 

how formed, 47. 

organization of, 47. 

powers of, 47. 
Joint district tax, how approved, 50. 
Joint or associate tax, provisions concerning, 50. 
Judgment against a district, how satisfied, 62. 
Jurisdiction, justice courts to have, m truant cases, 70. 

over State Home and School cases, with probate court, 87. 
Justice of peace, how construed, 13. 

of supreme court, when may be appealed to, 61. 

Labor Day, to be legal holiday, 92, 100. 
Land, or lands, how construed, 13. 

how condemned for school purposes, 54. 
Lectures on subjects of education, how provided, 64. 
Legacy to free public library, how discharged, 20. 
Legal proceedings relating to public schools, 60. 
Letters, retiring officer to deliver official, to whom, 15. 
Levy of district taxes, 48. 
Libraries, free public, establishment and control of, by towns, 18. 

how aided, 32. 

how incorporated under general law, 93, 94. 



124 LAWS PERTAINING- TO EDUCATION. 

Libraries, free piiblic, malicious mischief to, 95. 
neglect to return books to, 95. 
powers of town to appropriate money for, 17, 19. 
to report to board of education, 32. 
trustees of, election and duties, 19. 
school, powers of toAvn to vote money for, 17. 
school districts may maintain, 43. 
Lieutenant-Governor, ex-officio member of State board 

of education, 31. 
Limitations of town indebtedness, IS. 

of towTi taxes, IS. 
Literary associations, how organized as corporations, 93, 94. 
Location of R. I. College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, 75, 
of schoolhouses, 54. 

Malicious mischief to libraries, 95. 

rianufacturing establishments, employment of minors in, 67-69, 7£ 

Maps and other school apparatus, provision for, 36, 104. 

school district may supply, 43. 
Masculine gender includes feminine, 12. 
Meetings, district. See School District. 

of school committee, 53. 
Memorial Day, to be legal holiday, 92, 100. 
Mercantile establishments, employment of minors m, 67, 79. 
Mileage for I^ormal pupils, provision f oi', 64, 100. 
Minimum apportionment of public money, 56. 
Minors, convicted imder truant law, commitment of, 69. 

employment of, prohibited when, 67-69, 79. 

to attend school, 65. 
Miscellaneous corporations, as libraries, how formed, 93. 

limited as to property, 94. 

may amend agreement, 94. 
Money for schools, distributed how and when, 56, 57. 

statements of, to be made by town treasurer, 41. 
to be received and paid out by town treasurer, 40. 
unexpended or foi'feited, how treated, 58. 

tuition, used how, 52. 
Month and year, how construed, 13. 
Moral mstruction must be given, 60. 



INDEX. 125 

Neglect of duties by officers, 29, 12. 
to return books to libraries, 95. 
to send children to school, to be inquired into, 67. 
Newport, teachers' retirement fund in, 109. 
No person to be excluded from school save by general rule, 11. 
Normal School, how managed, 63. 

graduates from, entitled to diploma, 64. 

may give teachers' certificate, 64. 

qualifications for free tuition m, 64. 

to be open to children of deceased soldiers and sailors, 73. 

travelling expenses of pupils in, 64, 100. 

trustees of, how constituted, 63. 

to prescribe examination of applicants for admission, 64. 
Notice of assessment, when given by town assessor, 49. 
of district meetings, by whom given, 44. 

how given, 45. 
of tax sale, how given, 24. 
to non-residents, 25. 
to parties interested, 24. 
to residents, 24. 
of personal property, 26. 
Number, singular and plural, how construed, 12. 
Nuisances prohibited near schoolhouse, 72. 



Oath, how construed, 13. 

by whom administered, 10. 

who may administer in counties and towns, 11. 
in matters of their ofiices, 11. 
throughout the State, 11. 

of office and how admmistered, 10. 

of school district officers, evidence of, 71. 
except moderator, 71. 
Offences, against private property, 95. 

agauist public peace, 95. 

against public policy, 96. 
Officers, joint authority to three or more, how construed, 12. 

liability of, for neglect of duty, 29, 72. 

offering of fees to, forbidden, 73. 

of public schools, forbidden to receive fees, etc., 73. 



126 LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. 

Officers of school district, 43. 
powers of, 43. 

of scliools receiving State aid to report annually, 33. 

to surrender official records, when and to whom, 15. 
Orders on school fimd dra\^^l when, .57. 

payable to Avhom, 57. 
Ordinances to be made for attendance of children in schools, 69. 

Parents to cause child to attend school, 65, 112. 

penalty on, for illegal employment of children, 68. 
Payment of taxes, proof of, 9. 
Payments to free public libraries, how made, 33. 
Penalty for disturbing meetings or schools, 95. 

for employing child contrary to law, Q8. 
who cannot write, 69. 

for failure to deliver official records, 16. 
to send children to school, 65, 112. 

for making false registry, 8. 

false returns or other neglect of duty, 72. 

for malicious mischief to property of libraries, 95. 

for misappropriating moneys, 72. 

for non-payment of taxes, 29. 

for non-remittance of returns, 41, 42, 58. 

for refusal to give information, in school census, 42. 

to permit schools to be visited by school committee, &c. 

for truancy, 69. 

general, 74. 
Penalties, etc., school commissioner may remit what, 63. 
Permanent school fund, 5, 14. 

additions to, 15. 

custodian of, 14. 

investments for, 14, 15. 

not to be diverted by General Assembly, 5. 

town share of school money, when to be added to, 15, 36. 

uses of mcome of, 15. 
Person, how to be construed, 12. 
Personal property and registry voters, 6. 
Personal property voters not to register annually, 9. 
Physiology and hj'giene, instruction m, to be given, 55. 
Place ot district meetmgs, 45. 



INDEX. 127 

Places of employment to be visited by factory inspectors, 80. 

by truant officers, 68. 
Plans for building or repairs to be approved, 43. 
Plural number includes singular, 12. 
Poll taxes, collection of, 22. 

for support of piiblic schools, 23. 

method of assessing, 22. 

when and on vvrhom assessed, 22. 
Powers and duties of district officers, 43. 

of school committees, 53. 

of towns and town officers, 38. 

of, and suits by and against, towns, 16. 

of associate districts, 46. 

of consolidated districts, 47, 48. 

of joint district, 47. 

of school districts, 42. 
Preference of taxes in insolvents, 29. 
Printing report, money reserved for, 58. 
Private schools, may be approved when, 66. 

to be registered and report, 33. 
Proceedings in case of children in State almshouse, 87. 
Proceeds of dog licenses to be used for schools, 90, 91. 
Process agamst district, how served, 63. 

under truant law, by whom served, 67. 
Proof of payment of taxes, 9. 
Property exempt from distraint, 26. 

liable to, and exempt from, taxation, 20. 
Providence, school committee of, may make contract with trustees E. I. 
Normal School, 113. 

schools of, how to be governed, 73, 101. 
attendance of children in, 112. 

teachers, retirement fund in, 102. * 

Title IX. how for applicable to, 73, 101. 
Public libraries. See Libraries. 
Public money apportioned to jomt districts, 48. 

how paid to associate district, 47. 
Public records, 15. 
Public schools. See Schools. 
Pupils. See Scholars. 



128 LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. 

Qualifications and rights of voters, 6. 

for free tuition in Xormal School, 64. 
for office, 4. 

for voting in district meeting, 4-5. 
required of teacliers, .59, 107. 

Real estate, deed of, for taxes, what title vested in purchaser by, 2.5. 

how advertised and sold for taxes, 24. 

how condemned for school purposes, 54. 

if aliened, not to be sold for tax, in what case, 24. 

may be sold for taxes, 24. 

taxes agahist owner of, a lien on, 23. 
how long, 24. 

voters, 7 
Record of district clerk prima facie evidence, 6-3. 
Record vote, when to be taken, 45. 
Redemption by owner of land sold for taxes, 25. 
Reference books, appropriation for, 36, 104. 
Refusal to allow visitation forfeits State aid, 72. 
Register of scholars to be kept by teachers, 60. 

to be deposited where, 57. 
Registering and listing of voters, 8. 
Registry and personal property voters, 6. 
Registry list to be furnished by town clerk, 9. 
Regular appropriations for support of schools, 35. 

Religious purposes, buildings and land held for, exempt from taxation, 20. 
Religious societies, what property of, exempt from taxation, 20. 
Remission of fines and foi-feitures, how done, 63. 
Repeal of statutes, effect of, 14. 
Report of Board of Control of State Home and School, annual, 88. 

of board of education, annual, 84. 

of Commissioner of public schools, 35. 

of school committee to commissioner, 58. 
to town meeting, 58. 

of trustees of R. I. Institute for the Deaf, annual, 84. 

to board of education, of schools aided by State, 33. 
Retirement fmids for teachers, 102, 109. 

beneficiaries of, who may be, 103, ill. 

payments to, when and how made, 103, 104, ill, 112. 

sources of, 102, 109. 



INDEX. 129 

Retirement funds for teachers, treasurer of, 102, 110. 

trustees of, 103, 110. 
Returns made to school committee by trustee, 51. 
Returns of school census, where deposited, etc., 42. 
Rhode Island College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, 74. 

a body corporate, 75. 

board of managers of, adopt course of study, 77. 
duty of, 76. 
employ faculty, 77. 
officers of, 77. 

location of, 75. 

object of, 75. 

terms of office of members of corporation, 76. 

to have moneys received from United States, 75. 

treasurer of, to give bond, 77. 

to make annual report to general assembly, 77. 

vacancies in corporation, how filled, 76. 
Rhode Island Institute for the Deaf, 82. 

management of, 88. 

may issue diplomas, 99. 

object of, 83. 

who may attend, 98. 

who may be admitted to, 83. 

who must attend, 99. 
Rhode Island School of Design, 78. 

board of education, how appoint beneficiaries at, 79. 
how pay tuition fees, 79. 
to elect two directors of, 78. 

State beneficiaries at, 78. 

to make annual report, 28. 
Rights and qiialifications of voters, 6. 
Rules and regulations, for appeals, 61. 

for libraries, 19, 32. 

to be made by committee, 55. 

Sailors, children of dead or invalided, schools free to, 73. 

Scholars authorized to attend in adjoining town or district, when, 55. 

if less than five, school may be suspended, 57. 

in normal school, privileges of, 64. 

may be suspended, when, 56. 

17' 



130 LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. 

Scholars not to attend school unless vaccinated, 74. 

register of, to be kept by teacher, 60. 

school committee to make rules for classification of, 55. 

text-books and supplies to be loaned to, 58. 

to be taught principles of morality and virtue, GO. 

transportation of, 106. 

without town, admitted by trustee, when, 52. 
Schoolbooks. See Text-Books. 
School census, returns of, made to whom, 42. 

taken when, 41. 
School Commissioner. See Commissione7- of PuhKc Schools. 
School Committee, alter district boundaries, Avhen, 53. 

appeal from, how taken, proceedings thereon, 61. 

choice of, 39. 

fees to, prohibited, 73. 

may annul certificates, 55. 

may consolidate schools, when, 107. 

may dismiss teachers, when, 59. 

may excuse child from attendmg school, when, 66. 

may fix time and place to organize associate district, 46. 

may reserve money for printing report, 58. 

may suspend pupils, when, 56. 

may suspend school, when, 57. 

members of, ineligible to teach public school, 60. 

meetings of, 53. 

no special district meeting without consent of, when, 45. 

number of, increased when, 39. 

oflftcers of, 53. 

power of, to abate tax in certain cases, 50. 

to approve tax for erection and repairs of schoolhouses in joint 

districts, 50. 
to change text-books, 58. 

to form and regu^late joint school districts, 47. 
when districts are abolished, 39. 

schools to be u.nder care of, 38. 

to apportion money, etc., when district divided, 48. 

to approve amount of tax ordered by school district, 43. 

to approve bond of collector of district tax, 43. 

to approve organization of consolidated district, 47. 

to approve plans for erection and repairs of schoolhouses, 43. 



INDEX. 131 

School Committee, to draw orders, when, 47, 57. 
to elect superintendent of schools, 40. 
to examine teachers, 55. 
to furnish free books and supplies, 58. 
to have care of schools in discontinued districts, 44. 
to have entire control of districts abolished, 39. 
to locate schoolhouses, 54. 
to make apportionment, when, 56. 
to make rules and regulations, 55. 
to manage schools wholly, when, 56. 

to provide for attendance of children in adjoining town or district, 56. 
to provide instruction in physiology, etc., 55. 
to report to board of education, 70. 

to commissioner, 58. 

to town, 58. 
to visit schools, 55. 

when and how call meeting to organize district, 44. 
when call special meeting of school district, 45. 
when may exercise powers and duties of district, 44. 

of trustees, 52. 
when to organize school in districts, 44. 
School district, a body corporate, 42. 

associate, for having advanced schools, how formed, 46. 

clerk, collector, treasurer of, duties, powers of, 43. 

consolidated, how formed, 47, 106. 

general powers of, 42. 

joint, how formed, 47. 

judgment agamst, how satisfied, 62. 

legal process against, how may be served, 63. 

may be'abolished, 38. 

may build and repair schoolhouses, 43. 

may devolve power on school committee, 44. 

may vote a tax, 43. 

meetings of, annual, when held, how notified, 44. 

for organization, how notified, 46, 47. 

■special, how called, how notified, 45. 
moderator of, may admmister oath to other officers, 43. 
officers of, 43. 

evidence of engagement of, 71. 

except moderator, in what form to be engaged, 71. 



132 LAAYS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. 

School district, officers of, tenure of office of, 72. 

providing sclioolhouses, not to be taxed for others, 38. 

suits against, wlro may answer, 62. 

trustees of. See Trustees of School Districts. 

what powers remaiii to discontinued, 39. 

when divided, property of, how apportioned, 48. 

when not to be formed, 54. 
School fund. See Permanent School Fund. 
Schoolhouses, foreign flags not to be raised over, 96. 

how provided by associate districts, 46. 

how supplied with furniture, fixtures, etc., 38, 43. 

land for, how condemned, 54. 

may be built by town, 38. 

nuisances near, prohibited, 72. 

to be in custody of trustees, when, 51. 

to be located by school committee, .54. 
School libraries, power of to^^'n to vote money for, 17. 

State appropriation for works of reference, etc., for, 36. 
School of Design. See Bhocle Island School of Design. 
School officers prohibited from takmg fees, 73. 

what ones are ineligible to teach, 60, 114. 
School property, in care of trustees, 51. 
Schools aided by State, to be visited by public school officers, 72. 

to report to board of education, 33. 

consolidation of ungraded, 105. 

by school committee, when, 107. 

provisions agauist forfeiture of State aid in case of, 106, 107. 

general supervision of, vested in board of education, 31. 

high. State aid for, 106. 

must be maintained, 38. 

private, to register and report to board of education, 33. 

scholars may attend, in another district, when, 57. 
in another tcrni, 52, 56. 

school committee may establish. 44. 

suspended when, 57. 

time of opening and closing, trustees to give notice of, 51. 

to be visited by committee, 55. 

imgraded, may be consolidated, 105. 
School supplies furnished at expense of town or city, 58. 
Seal, what is meant by, 14. 



INDEX. 133 

Singular number, how construed, 12. 

Soldiers and sailors, children of, have free tuition when, 73. 

Special district meetings, how called, 45. 

illegal when, 45. 
State Home and School for Children, 84. 

board of control of, how appointed, 85. 
how constituted, 84. 
secretary of, duties and term of otHce of, 85. 

to have compensation, 85. 
to establish system of management, 85. 
to keep register of children, 88. 
to report to board of education, 88. 
to receive what children, 85. 
control and maintenance of, vested in whom, 84. 
establishment of, 84. 
object of, 86. 

what children may be sent from State almshouse to, 87. 
State school money, how apportioned, 36. 
Statutes, construction of, 12. 
repeal of, effect of, 14. 
special, to prevail, 74. 
take effect when, 14. 
Studies in schools, how prescribed, 55. 
Submission by agreement to school commissioner, 61. 
Successors in office, retiring officers to deliver official possessions to, 15. 

what officers contmue m office till qualification of, 72. 
Suit agamst district may be answered by whom, 62. 
Superintendent of schools, compensation of, 40. 
duties of, 40. 
how elected, 40. 
Supreme court, justices of, to hear and decide on school appeals, when^ 61. 
Surety for costs not to be given by truant officer, 70. 
Surplus of tax sale returned to owner, 26. 
Suspension of pupils by school committee, 56. 



Tax, abated when and how, 50. 

certified lists of persons paymg, to be furnished when and by whom, 

10. 
collected, from real or personal estate, 24. 



134 LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. 

Tax, compensation of assessors, collectors of, etc., 29. 

deductions from, when, 29. 

for free public libraries, what and when, 17. 

general provisions concerning, 29. 

lien on real estate, how long, 23, 24. 

limitation of, 18. 

may be voted by school district, 43. 

of joint district, how approved, 50. 

penalty for non-payment of, 26, 29. 

proposition to impose, who not permitted to vote on, 7. 

school district, collection of, 30, 43. 

to be assessed by trustees, 51. 

to qualify persons to vote, 8, 9. 

town to raise by, for schools, amount equal to State appropriation, 36. 
Taxation, property liable to, and exempt from, 20, 21. 
Tax collector to furnish certificates of taxpayers, 10. 
Tax sale, notice of, given owner and others interested, 24, 25. 

redeemable, when, 25. 

vests what title, 25. 
Teachers, 59. 

certificates to, by State Board of Education, 107. 

by trustees of normal school, 64. 

duty of school committee to examine, 55, 59. 

may be dismissed, when, 59. 

must have what qualifications, 59, 107. 

retirement funds for, 102, 109. 

school district neglecting to employ, school committee may employ, 44. 

State appropriation for schools to be applied to wages of, 36. 

to be hired by trustee, when, 51. 

to have certificate of qualification, Avhen, 59, 107. 

to impart what moral instruction, 60. 

to keep record of pupils vaccinated, 74. 

to keep registers and make reports, 60. 

what school ofiicers ineligible as, 60, 114. 
Teachers' certificates, how long valid, 59. 
Teachers' Institutes, appropriation for, how expended, 64. 
Teachers' money, drawn on order of commissioner, 36. 

forfeiture of, 36. 

State appropriation to be denominated, 36. 

what, and how used, 36. 



INDEX. 135 

Tenure of office, of board of control of State Home and School, 85. 

of board of managers of E. I. College of Agriculture and Mechanic 
Arts, 16. 

of commissioner of public schools, 34. 

of school committee, 39. 

of school district officers, 72. 

of State board of education, 31. 

of trustees of R. I. Institute for the iJeaf, 82. 
Text=books, may be changed, how, 58. 

how m Providence, 58. 

receivmg or offering fees for exchange of, forbidden, 73. 

school committee to place m school rules for use of, 55. 

to be furnished at expense of town or city, 58. 
Thanksgiving Day, appointment of, as legal holiday, 92, 100. 
Time, how computed, 13. 
Title vested by tax sale, 25. 
Town, how construed, 13. 

entitled to what part of State appropriation for scliools, 36. 

entitled to State aid for providing high school facilities, 106. 

may abolish districts, 38. 

may be divided into districts, 38. 

may build schoolhouses, 38. 

may consolidate schools, 105. 

may establish and maintain free public libraries, 17. 

may vote money for free library not its own, 17. 

may vote money for schools, 17. 

power of, to assess ratable property, limited ; exceptions, 18. 
to incur debt, limited ; exceptions, 18. 

powers and duties of, relative to schools, 16, 38. 

to make appropriation for free public library, 19. 

to maintain schools, 38. 
Town assessors to give notice, 40. 

when to aid in levy of district taxes, 49. 
Town clerk, how construed, 13. 

to furnish certificate of records, 9. 

to furnish registry list, 9. 

to record district boundaries, 41. 

to take school census, 41. 
Town collector may collect district taxes, 43. 
Town council, how construed, 13. 



136 LAWS PERTAINING TO EDUCATION. 

Town council, penalty for neglect of, to appoint officers or make ordi- 
nances under truant law, 70. 

to appoint special constables under truant laAv, 66. 

to elect board of trustees of free public library, 19. 

to fill vacancy in school committee, 40. 

to make ordinances, etc., concerning truants, 69. 
Town or city council may receipt for gift of free library, 19. 
Town sergeant, how construed, 13. 
Town treasurer, construction of words, 13. 

custo'dian of all school money, 40. 

duties of, in receiving and paying school moneys, 40. 

to make statement to committee, 41. 

to report to school commissioner, 41. 
Travelling expenses of pupils in Normal school, money for, 64, 100. 
Treasurer of school district, election, powers, etc., 43. 
Truant children and attendance at school, 6-5, 112. 
Truant officers, duties of, 67. 

how appointed, 66. 

to demand names of children employed, 68. 

to visit all places employing children, 68. 
Truant orduiances to be made, 69. 
Truants, district courts have jurisdiction of, 70. 

may be committed to suitable places of instruction, 69. 

may be discharged, when, 69. 
Trustees of free public library, divided into classes, 19. 

elected by town council, 19. 

to have charge of library, 19. 

vacancies in, how filled, 19. 
Trustees of R. I. Institute for the Deaf, how appointed, 82. 

how constituted, 82. 

to report to assembly, 84. 
Trustees of Rhode Island ]N'ormal School, how constituted, 63. 

may contract with school committee of city of Providence, 113. 

may give certificates of qualification, 64. 
Trustees of school districts, 51. 

appeals from decisions of, how taken, and proceedmgs, 61. 

election of, 43, 97. 

how call meetings of districts, 44, 45. 

how engaged, 71. 

ineligible to teach m public schools, 60, 114. 



INDEX. 137 

Trustees of school districts may allow pupils from out of town to at- 
tend, 52. 

of associate districts, how appointed, 46. 

to employ teacher, 51. 

to have custody of schoolhouse, 51. 

to have no pay save from district funds, 52. 

to make out tax hills, 51. 

to make returns to school committee, 51. 

to provide cases for schoolbooks, 51. 

to provide school facilities, 51. 

to visit schools, 51. 

when determine place of meeting, 45. 

when may be chosen separately, 97. 
Tuition money, how to be used, 52. 

United States, includes what, 1.3. 
Unregistered voters, 7. 

Vacancy in board of managers for college of agriculture, how filled, 76. 

in office of trustee of free public library, how filled, 19. 

in school committee, how filled, 40. 

in school district officers, how filled, 43. 

in State board of education, how filled, 31. 
Vacation in public schools, children employed during, 67. 
Vaccination, compulsory, as a prerequisite to enter school, 74. 
Violation of laws relative to public schools, penalties on, 74. 
Voluntary associations, how formed, 92-94. 
Voters, classified, 6. 

in school districts, qualifications of, 45. 

lists of, furnished by clerks, 9. 

rights and qualifications of, 6. 
Vote to levy tax final, when, 61. 

Ward clerk, how construed, 13. 
Warrant of distress, how to issue, 28. 

to collect, in force till tax collected, 28. 
Wasliington's birthday, to be legal holiday, 92, 100. 
Words, construction of, in statutes, 12-14. See ConMruction. 

Year, how construed, 13. 

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